Bruises
by justsomeone2010
Summary: Third instalment to the Mermaid trilogy. On Earth, Summer fights despite her poverty to find a way back to Loki for her and her son. Unknown to her, Loki has travelled to her realm already from across the galaxy to find the Tesseract and conquer Earth. In his final battle for a happy ending, will he still be the same man she fell in love with? Inspired by Train's Bruises.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Loki's breath came just a little bit quicker than usual as he waited, bracing himself. He was about to be transported across the universe, with no guarantee it would work; he was nervous.

But he had no choice.

"I'll do it." He rasped quietly, eyes fixed on the circular metal platform before him, two staffs connected to the Tesseract's energy either side of it. The blue energy of the cube gleamed in the staff heads, flowing down to form a crystal blue ring amongst the metal platform. The light gleam was strange amongst the darkness of the excluded realm in lay in.

The device was set against a background of dark grey and black dusted ground, a wasteland. The sky was practically lightless, just a handful of stars smattered across the sky.

 _No wonder these creatures were so unpleasant,_ Loki grumbled in his head, glancing over the grey, dull skinned forms of the Chitauri ahead of him.

He could feel their leader, The Other, breathing down the back of his neck, reminding him that he had no choice. It was either he went through the portal, or they would torture him and throw him through. A Chitauri couldn't do this. Only him. He could blend in like no other alien could.

The staff weighed mockingly in his hand, similar to Odin's staff. The only difference was the type of energy flowing through them, this one illuminated with the same bright blue energy of the Tesseract.

It would lead the way for this army. The way through Earth and its conquered people.

His eyes dampened slightly; Summer would be one of those people.

He'd missed her world in the fall of the Bifrost. He'd ended up here where his only option was to adhere to the Chitauri's wishes or to die. Even he couldn't fend off an entire army singlehanded. But when he found out their plan, he found he didn't want to – they were taking him to Earth.

As miserable as these creatures were, their plan coincided with his own: they were destined for Earth, as he was. Even better, they were going to take him there! And when they ruled, Loki would be able to share in the glory, have his own share of power. As long as they would leave him in peace, he didn't care about the rest.

He would do what they wanted him to, but he had a mission of his own – Summer. The Chitauri could conquer Earth, as long as Loki could find Summer and keep her safe at his side.

The rest of the world could burn – especially that bastard who had been kissing her back on Earth. Loki would win back Summer and her child, and her mortal lover would be nothing in comparison to him. It wouldn't take her long to forget him.

He wouldn't hold anything against her. He could only imagine what she must have felt, so alone, so hopeless… perhaps she had felt the same hurt that Loki felt now. Loki could hardly blame her for that. She had to survive. She had a child to care for. As much as it hurt Loki, he would forget it all if she would only be with him again.

And what of Thor? Surely the changed, self righteous bastard would come after him for this, once his precious Earth was under siege.

Perhaps he could find Thor's lover as well...

"Should you betray us, we will find you." the harsh, gravelly voice cut through his thoughts and Loki grimaced.

He had no reason to betray them though, not even a flicker of impulse. He would have nothing if he did. "I'll not fail." He breathed darkly, fingers tightening around the staff. He would have to get pretty comfortable with it very quickly if this plan was going to work.

The plan would work. He would make sure it would. If not, everything he had done would be for nothing.

He would have nothing.

His eyes moved forward to the feeble technology before him. The platform was flat and engraved with markings he didn't understand. Either side were two posts that had once been smooth and complete but now were crudely packed back together, wires and trinkets poking out in all directions. _These creatures_ , Loki grimaced in his mind.

At least it still worked. At least, he hoped it would. If not, he might end up splattered across the universe if not transported across it.

He stepped towards it, with determination in his eyes.

XXX

The mirror wasn't the best in the world with little black dots marring the reflection in the corners, but Summer had made do with less before. She pulled her meagre makeup supplied out of her jacket pocket and slapped them down on the sink.

She didn't think she'd be disturbed anytime soon; there hadn't been many women out there in the bar, mostly just men. Sadly, that was why she had to make so much effort.

 _Typical_ , she thought. The lads could get away with jeans and t-shirts. Daniel was even wearing a bobble hat for goodness sake! But she, being the only girl, had to dress up. She would be the one everybody looked at, so she had to look good.

Brushing a bit of makeup over the dark circles under her eyes, she thanked whichever god that was responsible for granting her such clear skin. It helped save the bottle, when the only bit of her skin tone to level out was under her tired eyes. Brushing on a bit of blusher to bring a bit of life to her paleness and stroking some mascara onto her lashes, she started to look a little less weary than five minutes ago.

She shoved the makeup back in her pocket and shrugged off the jacket with a sigh, examining her dress. Black, short and clinging to her slim frame, it fit the bill perfectly. She just wished there was a little more of her to fill it out.

Fluffing up her loose curls of dark hair into something a bit less perfect, she deemed herself acceptable.

Her lips mumbled over the lyrics of their first song, knowing it would be just her luck to forget on their most important gig in months.

Then a glint of silver caught her attention in the mirror and she froze.

The mermaid pendent gleamed at her in the reflection, hanging between the small swell of her chest. Loki's necklace still looked beautiful a year on.

That was because it was she real deal, she thought with a small smile, fingers rising to stroke over the arching mermaid's tail. It wasn't cheap or fake – this was real silver. Maybe it wasn't even silver, but a similar Asgardian compound, nothing but the highest quality.

So many times when she'd been sat in the street, wondering why she'd held onto that necklace when she knew it was the most expensive thing she'd owned. It would have been so easy to sell it, to get some money for food…

But it was the biggest source motivation that drove her on.

 _Loki._

A lump built in her throat as the god came to her thoughts, remembering his dazzling emerald orbs. What would he think of her now, she wondered.

He had adored her in Asgard. She never went hungry or out of comfort for anything, when Loki was around, always looking after her despite the amorous attempts of his brother. Everyone had there when she had first arrived in the realm; she had been a celebrity.

Now all that remained of that life was the necklace. Now, instead of a wonder to behold, she was a nobody singing to drunk men for money across the county.

It was her pride that stopped her doing anything worse than that in her desperation. That, and those perfect emerald eyes shining in her memory.

Still she had built herself up, bit by bit. Since running away on that bus a year ago, she had travelled half way across the country, gotten a morning job as a cleaner, day-time job as a waitress and evening work singing with her band. Slowly the money had started coming in and she had turned it towards the rent for the flat she shared with the boys, looking after her son and the rest – saved, as much as possible.

She was saving for them both to go back where they belonged – back to Loki.

If he would have her, trailing another mans child in her wake; even worse that the child was his brother's. When he had found out though, he hadn't been mad at her, just at his brother. He knew exactly under what circumstances Ewin had come into being.

She had nothing to lose though, and she needed to find him. When she had first been dumped back on Earth, the idea of going back to Asgard was nothing more than a fantasy. A dream.

Since seeing Thor's picture on Facebook though, her perspective had changed. She would not give up her life so easily, while Thor was clearly roaming his where he pleased. He had taken a lot from her that day he raped her but he would not have the rest of her life. She would make that hers again.

And that involved winning Loki back.

A smack on the bathroom door drew her from her thoughts and she snapped herself back to reality. What time was it?

Blinking quickly in the mirror to clear her blurred vision, she gave herself one last look over in the mirror before turning on her heel and making for the door.

On the other side of it, was the band's leader and drummer, Anthony, with his usual scowl. He wasn't the happiest of guys.

His almost black eyes were weighted with dark eyeliner on the lower lid, only making him look all the more brooding. "Twenty minutes." was all he curtly said before wondering back across the pub towards their stage for some final checks.

Summer didn't spare him a second thought before she disappeared through the 'Staff Only' doors, making her way back through the kitchen to the room behind the stage, where the rest of the band were tuning up their guitars.

She shoved her coat in the corner with the rest and paused only for a moment to tuck her necklace down the low neckline of her dress.

Then out of the corner of her eye, she caught something that made her eyes widen.

"Danny!"

Her hair whipped around her as she turned, making a bee line for the bassist perched on the stool – with her one year old son balanced on his lap. The infant held the guitar pick in his little fist.

Ewin had barely raised his hand, barely opened his mouth before Summer strode forward and snatched it from him. In a heartbeat, she swept the baby up into her arms too.

She glared at the ragged 18 year old on the stool. "What have I told you about giving him small things?" she snapped viciously. "He'll put anything you give him in his mouth – you know that! Something as small as _this_ ," she hurled the little guitar pick and Daniel raised his hands just in time to deflect it from hitting his face. "He'll choke on in a second!"

The lad just stared at her with raised eyebrows through his long wavy hair as he lowered his hands. "We were just playing!" he insisted. "Look –he's fine!"

Summer didn't care, her eyes flashing dangerously. She clutched her child close to her chest, wrapping the blanket tighter around him. Ewin rested his head against her bosom, ignorant of his mother's rage as he put his thumb in his mouth.

"Summer, can you keep it down!" Anthony suddenly hissed from the doorway.

A sharp jerk of her head redirected her glare to the drummer, but she quickly simmered it; this was not the time to start a shouting match with Anthony.

She didn't want to start a fight just before a show. They needed to knock this one out of the park. This was the most popular bar in the area – and it was known for taking on bands it liked as regular features to their nightlife. This was their shot.

She couldn't screw this up. She needed this more than the rest of them did. The money would make all the difference to her plans.

But she was not wrong and would not apologize for another idiot's ignorance. Not when it affected her son.

Too many times had her fate been out of her own hands and ruined from other people's mistakes. She would never let that happen again. If there was anything she had learned, it was that she could only rely on herself to keep things ticking.

With a last warning gaze at Daniel, she turned her back and marched away to the door, making sure to knock Anthony's shoulder hard as she did so. Cradling Ewin close, she kept her head down until they were safely in the tiny little room adjacent to the one the band were preparing in, where they locked away their things during a show.

Ewin's bed of coats laid waiting for him: Harry's padded body warmer covered by Daniel's soft leather jacket and the many think jumpers that Josh wore instead of a coat helped to make it comfortable for the youngster.

The band mates always emptied their pockets and agreed to lock their possessions in a guitar case, just to make sure there was nothing the little lad could hurt himself on in his slumber. Knowing the stuff some of them carried around with them – Anthony's cigarettes and Josh's pocket knife just a few of the worst. The last thing any of them wanted was for Ewin to hurt himself on something they carelessly left behind. They could be idiots sometimes, but her band mates were not malicious.

The toddler whined as Summer knelt and laid him down on the makeshift bed, his little arms reaching up for her. Heart aching, she pressed a kiss to his forehead and arranged his blue blanket to cover him warmly.

He had grown so much and it both pained and delighted her. Every day, he was stronger, more alert and she was proud that her meagre earnings had managed to support him even through their hardship. He had never once gone hungry and it showed in his strong, chubby limbs. He was a healthy young boy, if a little reserved.

But the more he grew, the more he grew into the vision of his father. Blonde locks grew on his head and bright blue eyes stared up at her, the exact lightning blue shade of the thunder god of Asgard. It was uncanny how Thor shone through the boy.

Luckily though, that was where the resemblance ended. Even though he was just a boy, Summer could tell he was a gentle soul. He was quiet and shy. He didn't like strangers; Summer had been travelling with her band for the last 10 months and it had taken half of that before he would even smile around them. He often just stood at her side, clinging to her leg. He didn't say a word.

Still, he was her beautiful baby boy and she loved him more than life itself.

"Want a story before sleep?" she asked with a gentle smile, hand stroking back his blonde fringe from his face.

Thumb lodged back in his mouth, Ewin nodded, brilliant blue eyes still eagerly bright.

Summer chuckled as her crossed her legs beneath her, offering down her finger to her little son. He clasped it firmly.

"Once upon a time, there was a prince called Loki." She began. "He lived in a far away land called Asgard with his family, including his evil brother, Thor."

Most of her stories went like this, with Loki, and Asgard, and whatever else she remembered of that wonderful realm. She wanted Ewin to know of the world he had come from – the good parts at least. And the good parts always involved Loki.

"A princess called Cinderella lived in the palace as well and she wanted to dance with Prince Loki at the ball. But Loki's brother, Thor was jealous and he wanted to have the princess for himself." Her smile slipped slightly as she spoke, the story only all too real for her.

"When she said no, Thor banished her to a land called Midgard so that she could not go to the ball. Then a fairy goddess called Sif came to help her. The fairy goddess Sif took her back to Asgard so that Cinderella could go to the ball."

Summer knew Ewin wouldn't understand everything she said but she told it to him anyway, and he listened intently. Slowly, though, his bright little eyes blinked sleepily.

Brushing his hair from his forehead, Summer went on. "Cinderella went to the ball, and Loki asked her to dance. She was so beautiful to him that he fell in love with her straight away."

 _Had he?,_ she often wondered. He had saved her life, tended to her and cared for her – how long had that taken to bloom into love?

It was one of the many questions she intended to ask him when she found him again.

And she _would_ find him again.

For now though, she watched little Ewin's eyes flutter shut in slumber and smiled softly. One day, there would be more to the story.

One day, it would no longer be just a story; "And they lived happily ever after."

XXX

For a moment it had felt like he was on fire. White hot as powerful cosmic energy had consumed and carried him across the universe, energy still oozing from him like smoke - crystal blue smoke – as he stood there.

Where?

He wasn't sure exactly. Earth, that much he knew. The grey, precise floor gave that much away. There was nothing like that in the Chitauri wastelands that he had ever seen, not even in their ships were they so sleek. No, this was Earth. He had succeeded.

Grinning with triumph, he decided to get a better view. He could hear the slow footsteps of advancing men long before he looked up, but he wasn't fazed. They were mortal – what harm could they do him? Three black clad figures approached him with weapons in their hands, aimed squarely at his chest. Loki eyed them curiously, studying the metal work.

A calm, authoritive voice suddenly broke the silence, echoing greatly in the large chamber: "Sir, please put down the spear."

Loki glanced away from the soldiers to the dark skinned man across the room, one of his eyes patched and covered. _Like Odin,_ he growled in his head, smile gone.

His eyes fell to the strange weapon in his hand. He wasn't used to it yet. It was light, so light Loki near forgot it was there until the apparent-Commander reminded him. The metal gleamed beautifully, the small ball of power between the blades just…awe-inspiring. It was so mystical, stunning.

It was not a weapon for 'putting down though' – it was a weapon for conquering.

Even on Earth, Odin's form was trying to keep him from Summer. _No more,_ Loki decided in his head, fingers clenching around the spear. Nothing could stop him this time, not these mortals. This time, his father and brother were not here to ruin his plans again. And this time, it was not just him - it was him and his army. He would claim this world and have Summer rule with him at his side.

He just prayed she would forgive him for the sins he committed in the process: a blast from his spear killed his first mortal.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey, guys. Just so you know the first chapter has changes slightly. Nothing major has changed, I just wrote Summer's scene a little differently since I wasn't entirely happy with the first draft.**

 **Chapter 2**

The last note of their last song still echoed in Summer's ears as the band rode home, all crammed in the back of Anthony's car.

They drove slowly through the pitch black country lane – more for Ewin's sake than anything, the sleeping toddler seat belted in Summer's lap, fast asleep still. He was a good little boy, she thought with a tired smile, fingers stroking gently through his soft hair.

It must have been about three in the morning, Summer guessed, feeling her exhaustion weigh down heavily on her. Still, she thought, it was worth it now.

They were now The Bay Pub's official regular band.

Turned out the owner had already heard about their reputation as an up and coming local band, and was already a fan of their smooth, quirky sound. He hadn't been able to whip out the contracts fast enough when he'd agreed to sign them a few days later their initial play.

It was good for them all though. A steady stream of income was never something to sniff at, especially people in their situation.

Everyone needed the money for one reason or another.

Summer wrapped her arms tightly around Ewin as the car rolled down the bumpy road, the toddler and five band members crammed into the little car. Outside was as pitch black as 4 am usually was. Her dull eyes scoured the darkness, but there was nothing to see other than the occasional twig brushing across the window. It was eerily peaceful.

It reminded her of the water, when she'd thrown herself into the harbour two years ago. So dark and desolate – but peaceful, in the emptiness.

Her arms tightened around Ewin even more, holding him close; no matter how bad things got, she had to hold on for his sake.

But she was planning on more than just holding on. She was going to fight for their future.

The car pitched forward sharply as it drove through a sudden dip in the road, and Summer and Ewin were jerked forward violently. The breath froze in her lungs, feeling the child stiffen against her and her hand moved instantly to the back of his head, holding him against her as she was thrown forward. Her seatbelt tugged them back in a second. Back crashing into the seat of the car, her eyes were wide for a silent second – then Ewin screamed and she cursed in her head, fluttering her eyes shut.

"For God's sake, Ant!" she snapped viciously at the drivers seat, rearranging herself to comfort her child. "Do you have to drive so damn fast?!"

She didn't miss the drummer's glaring amber eyes in the rear view mirror, meeting it with her own fearlessly.

To her left, Harry gently touched a hand to Ewin's little back, his frowning eyes scouring over the pair. "You okay?" he asked quietly, tugging the blanket around Ewin back up from where it had fallen and settling it back around his little shoulders.

Summer's eyes softened as she met his gaze and nodded, lifting Ewin up from her lap to her chest. She rocked him gently as he cried.

"Yo, Ant!" On Summer's right, Daniel smacked a hand against the driver's seat in front of him. "Ease up on the gas a little, yeah, mate?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm on it!"

The car slowed down in an instant and Summer shot Daniel a small smile of thanks. He nodded in acknowledgement.

She wasn't sure why Ant didn't like her, though she had her suspicions. Being in such a tight-knit group, they all knew each others sins, though nobody dared ask for the details.

For Ant, she was pretty sure he had a son of his own around Ewin's age somewhere. There was a picture in his backpack of a little baby in an incubator and from the date on the hospital charts in the photo, the boy in that photo would be just a few months older than Ewin. Where he was, she didn't know. But he was not here with Anthony, even though it was his surname on the baby's hospital charts.

She didn't want to know the details. She was too knee deep in her own problems to have time to worry about the others.

"Here, give him." Daniel said softly, reaching forward his hands for Ewin. "You know how he loves me."

Summer couldn't help but smirk at the sparkle in his lively eyes, hidden slightly behind the strands of his long brown hair brushed over his face. Still, she handed the screaming infant over trustingly.

It was plain to see how much Ewin liked Daniel as the young rocker took him in his lap, one arm holding him against his middle, while the other tugged his black bobble hat off his head. Without skipping a beat, he plopped it over the youngsters head.

Summer watched with a shaking head as within seconds of the hat going over the baby's eyes, Ewin froze, not making a sound. Amazing, she thought, how Daniel had little tricks like that that worked so well.

Ewin's little head whizzed from side to side, but completely forgot about his crying as he searched for some light. His little hands reached forward and grabbed the open ends of Daniel's leather jacket, pulling himself back to the musician as the teenager watched on with a chuckle.

A soft smile was quickly spreading over Summer's lips too as she watched, feeling her heart swell.

Reaching down, Daniel suddenly flipped the front of the hat up over Ewin's eyes and leaned right in, crossing his eyes as he did so. "Boo!"

A squeal of childish laughter instantly filled the car.

"He's a cute kid." Josh smiled from the passenger seat in the front, turned back to watch the spectacle. Ewin had everyone but Ant in the palm of his hand.

Summer smiled on proudly at her little boy. "Yeah, he is." She said dreamily.

Her hand moved instinctively to the chain around her neck, fingers following it down to the little mermaid pendant that had worked it's way free of her hemline in the fuss. Her fingertips ghosted over it, feeling every precious detail as if she didn't already know every inch by heart already.

It felt like a lifetime ago since she had first been given it, still remembering how Loki's fingertips had given her goosebumps as he fastened it around her neck.

His cool touch had always made her feel safe…happy. She still held the hope that she would feel that way again.

"Nice necklace, that." Harry nodded beside her, breaking through her thoughts.

Snapping back to reality, Summer wiped the smile off her face, quickly tucking the pendant back down her shirt. That was her secret. "Thanks." She flashed a stiff smile back at Harry. "Hey, can I borrow your phone for a moment?"

Harry's shoulder nudged against hers as he dug around in his jean pocket, finally whipping out his cracked Samsung. It wasn't beautiful, but it worked. "Sure, knock yourself out."

Summer murmured her thanks as she scrolled through the main page, thumb quickly pressing open the Facebook app. She tapped the search bar instantly.

 _Darcy Lewis._

She had never forgotten the name, since the first time she had seen that picture of Thor crop up on Facebook on David's cousin's profile. Darcy Lewis. She had been with Thor, in New Mexico. It was scary how much information was available on the internet, but Summer hardly cared as she stalked the young woman's profile, scanning over her last few posts online.

It was a good thing Darcy didn't block non-friends. Just typing in her name brought up every picture, check-in, status – everything! And Summer made full use of it.

Her most recent post was a picture of her and a tired looking brunette woman with a very slim frame, frowning into the camera as Darcy took the unexpected photo. It was entitled 'Data munching - with Jane Foster, in Albuquerque, New Mexico'. Summer stared into the worn brown eyes of Jane Foster; still in New Mexico. Good.

"What's with that chick?" Daniel asked, leaning over and glancing at the phone screen.

Summer clutched it to her chest protectively, hiding the screen as her thumb quickly tapped out of the app. "I don't know what you're talking about." She mumbled, forcing the phone back in Harry's hands.

"I'm talking about that Darcy lady." He went on, relentless. "You know her or something? Harry's phone must have her as a favourite by now with the amount of times you check on her. Who is she?"

Summer shook her head dismissively. "Just some student in America." She waved off. "She's nobody."

But who she hung out with – that was somebody.

"How do you know her then?"

Mind racing, Summer tried to think of something clever or distracting – but she couldn't. She couldn't think of anything, and she could hear the way her voice trembled guiltily as she answered him. "I-I don't." she stammered.

It must look weird – that was why she kept it to herself. It wasn't Darcy that she was interested in though, just the company she kept and their location.

"Did Ewin's dad run off with her or something? Girls get stalky about that kind of thing, don't they?"

It hit her like a punch in the chest and she froze, feeling winded. Just mentioning him – not even by name – had those haunting crystal blue orbs hovering in her mind again. Suddenly, she felt like she was going to be sick.

"Don't," she forced out, chest aching with a combination of rage and iron-strong fear. Her voice was firm – but under Ewin's blanket, her hands trembled. "D-don't mention him."

It was too late though. Thor's eyes were in her head, swirling blue, explosive with colour – just as they had been when he had raped her.

Suddenly, Ewin turned his head to look at his mother and Summer jumped as Thor was right there, right beside her in the car. Breath catching in her throat, she felt her heart pump hard in her chest, pounding faster with every second.

And the longer she looked at Ewin, the more she was convinced it was his father that was staring back at her.

"Stop!" she yelled, suddenly feeling too tight in the car, too close to _him._ "Stop the car!"

Ant slammed on the brakes and brought the little car screeching to a halt at Summer's screams, but before he had even stopped, she was reaching over Harry's lap, clawing at the door handle. Wrenching the door open at last, she practically crawled over her band mate to get out.

Staggering out onto the uneven road, she dropped down to her knees, and only just had the state of mind to grab a fistful of her hair behind her head before she was violently sick on the roadside.

"What the hell, Summer?!"

Ant's annoyed shout sounded distant in her ears as she wretched, unable to hold her body back. Thor did this to her – he made her a wreck.

Braced on the rough road, Summer tried to focus on her trembling fingers, but they were soon blotted out from her blurring vision, lost by her tears. She didn't want to cry. But then she thought of _him._ How he'd touched her. How she'd been so afraid, but no matter how hard she fought, she couldn't get away…

She couldn't stop the shaking as the last of her stomach contents splattered onto the roadside.

"You better not have been sick in my car-"

"Who gives a flying crap about the damn car!" Daniel's voice cut through the night as his jogging footsteps hurried him to Summer's side. "What's the matter with you?!"

Summer glimpsed his fingerless gloved hand on her shoulder as she gasped for breath and knew it was him, trying to focus on that rather than her memories. _Black gloves, black gloves, black gloves – and that horrible skull tattoo he had on the inside of his middle finger_. She held onto the thought, anchoring herself back to reality.

After a few minutes, she forced out a steady breath and sat back on her heels, harshly brushing the tears from her eyes.

"Jesus, Sunny," Daniel breathed beside her. "We didn't mean anything by it, I mean… what the hell…"

She knew. She didn't tell them anything, so there was no way they could have known and she wanted to keep it that way. But it still hurt her. After all this time, _he_ could still hurt her.

"I'm sorry." She said, eyeing up the grit and mud now worn into the knees of her flesh tone tights. _Well, that was irreversible_ , she thought, just hoping she hadn't gotten any puke on her dress. She could feel the cold sweat on her back though and the vile taste in her mouth. "I'm fine."

Brushing her hair back from her face, she sucked in a deep breath of crisp, cool air, letting it sooth her throat. Blinking her eyes back into focus, she stared at the faces around her.

Harry and Daniel both looked horrified, and even Ant looked concerned, though he held back a few paces closer to his car than to her.

"Where's Ewin?" she wondered aloud.

"With Josh in the front." Daniel answered instantly, offering her a hand up.

She took it gratefully, taking her time getting to her feet again. Her eyes locked on Daniel's. "Keep him there." She ordered firmly. She could not see her son right now, not with his father so fresh in her mind. It would only set her off again.

Daniel eased a comforting hand around her shoulders. "Let's just get you home, yeah."

Nobody said a word as they all made their way back to the car, Ant starting up the engine in silence. The whole journey back, Summer stared at Josh's shoulder, knowing what it hid from her view.

What kind of mother did that make her, she wondered, that she couldn't even look at her child…

Her fingers crept to her neck again before she could help it, the coolness of the silver making her heart ache. If she couldn't look at Ewin, how did she expect Loki to? How was he going to look at his brother's illegitimate child every day, when it made Summer physically sick just to see her own baby?

Would he still want her like this? Maybe it wasn't David that caused Loki to abandon her after all. Maybe it was the reality of seeing her with a baby that wasn't his, knowing that their future together would forever be tainted.

Maybe that was why he had left that necklace on David's doorstep and just walked away, never turning back for her…

Her heart ached painfully just thinking about it. She couldn't imagine Loki being anything but kind to her as she'd remembered him to be, gentle and considerate.

But lots of things had changed since then. Anything could happen…

Whatever Loki thought of her though, she was going to see him again, she resolved. She would find out once and for all.

And Darcy Lewis and Jane Foster would help her do it.

XXX

Loki had wanted some peace and quiet, but there was no peace and quiet to be found in their bustling underground hideaway. Not that he really had time to think for himself anyway. There was never any time.

He watched the soldiers and scientists scurry around like ants in a nest, all working and gathering weapons. _Good_ , he thought. They would need them. It was Selvig he watched the most though, watching every move that he made around the Tesseract. Loki knew the destruction the cube was capable of and knew that the self destruct plan back at S.H.I.E.L.D's original base was just a fraction of what the cube could do.

If Selvig wasn't careful, then it could be the undoing of them all, right there in that abandoned subway. And dying didn't exactly fit well into Loki's plan.

There was more than one reason for choosing Selvig though.

Loki had seen him back in that little mortal town a year ago – seen him by Thor's side. Even back at S.H.I.E.L.D's base, he had said it – _'Loki…brother of Thor!.'_

Just remembering the words sent a cold fury running through Loki's blood. His brother still haunted him, even on a new planet.

Still, he would let Thor's friend work on the cube, working to conquer the world that Thor held so dear. When he was finished, Loki was still deciding if he would grant the man his memories back or not. Let him wallow in guilt? Or destroy his sanity entirely? That would tear Thor apart…

The bright light in the stone of the staff reminded him though, as he sat perched on a random block of rubble; this wasn't about Thor.

His mind ran back to his conversation with the Other, still slightly shaken by his threats. When Loki had gotten himself into this, he had no idea what a powerful enemy he had agreed to fight for. Now he knew, he regretted everything.

But it was too late to walk away now. They would never let him leave, as The Other had reminded him; _"If you fail, if the Tesseract is kept from us, there will be no realm, no barren moon, no crevice where he cannot find you."_

He was near certain that was true and he wished with all his heart that this was not the life he was about to drag Summer into.

If he failed, they would have a life on the run. And if they were found…

The thought alone made him shudder: he knew how cruel Thanos could be. As The Other had said, Thanos would make Loki long for something as sweet as pain. Loki knew exactly what he would do.

Finger's clenching around the staff, Loki steeled himself, despite feeling the colour drain from his face. He had seen Summer in pain before – he would die before he would let that happen again, whether it was her father, his brother, or Thanos. It made no difference. Nobody was going to touch her again, no matter what he had to do.

And right now, it looked like he had to kill hundreds of innocent people to do that. _So be it_ , he thought with resolve.

So far, it was twenty innocent mortal lives he had taken in his fight for Summer.

When he had signed up to conquer Earth, he hadn't cared about the death toll, thinking only of the single mortal life that mattered to him. He had been hurt and wounded, the burn of revenge for Thor still simmering in his blood. At the time, survival had all he'd cared about, for Summer.

Trying to kill Thor hadn't prepared him for killing civilians as he thought it would. That had been different. That had been justice. What he was doing now was murder, and with every pair of glassy eyes he looked into, he couldn't help but wonder if he had just killed somebody else's Summer. The mortals he killed had done nothing to him but happen to be in his way.

That was hard to justify murder for, even in Summer's name.

And what would she think of it?, he wondered. Would she want to still be with him, after everything he had done? Once Earth was conquered, it would be impossible to hide his crimes.

This was their only chance now though. Loki was too deep to find another way back to her without Thanos hunting them for the rest of their lives.

And if she rejected him for what he had done… he might as well join the monsters and become one himself anyway. There would be no going back to the old Loki without Summer. His pain would know no bounds.

He just prayed it wouldn't come to that, eyes lingering on the blue glow of the Tesseract across the subway. He would win them their freedom.

 **A/N**

 **So guys, what do you think so far? You all still scarred by the memory of what Thor did in Mermaid? Must all be scared stiff – so stiff that you cannot leave reviews obviously ;)**

 **I would also like to put a note in to say that Summer's reaction to her flashbacks is purely character based. I am not meaning to offend anybody or cause any insult, and if that is the case then I do apologise. This is just a work of fiction, and it is a fictional reaction by a made up character. I don't want the same hate I got for Never Forget and Prisoner. If someone has a problem though with this, let me know (kindly) and I will try and correct it.**

 **Enjoy!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The tap groaned as Summer twisted the handle, the cool, crisp water flowing down the drain. Cupping her hands together until she had gathered a small pool, she leaned forward over the sink and splashed it in her face. It took two more splashes until she truly felt refreshed though.

Sighing, she braced her hands either side of the kitchen sink and stared at her pale reflection in the mirror on the outside of the bathroom cupboard door.

What was she doing?, she wondered. What must they all think of her now?

The taste of her vomit was still in her mouth and no matter how much water she had sipped on the rest of the drive home, she hadn't been able to get rid of it.

Feeling her exhaustion wash over her, she yanked the bathroom cupboard open and pulled out her toothbrush and toothpaste. After a thorough brush with the spearmint paste, a rinse of mouth wash, and another brush, she finally started to feel clean and fresh again. Good, she thought. She was going to need to be more careful in future.

She wasn't even sure what had brought it on. Thinking so acutely of Thor and what he had done after so long? Maybe. If so, she was sickened at herself – all this time of fending for herself, fighting for survival and she still let his mere memory control her?

No, she decided. She would not have it. She was not going to let him win. That was the whole point of New Mexico and Jane Foster, right? To take her life back.

For Ewin's sake, as much as hers. She was all that little boy had. She was all that little boy needed, she told herself.

She remembered the fear she'd felt for the first few months after his birth, wondering if Thor was going to come and take him away. She would have been all but helpless to stop her child being stolen from her. Not now. Now, she was in charge of their fate, not Thor. She would never let him take Ewin while there was still breath left in her body.

Still, at the same time, she doubted the thunder god cared; if he did, he would have come by now. And he hadn't.

They didn't need him anyway.

She ran a hand over her tired face, dreading waking up again in two hours for her early shift cleaning job. Not that she had a choice though.

Pulling a damp hair back into a high ponytail, she trudged from the bathroom, dragging her dress along the floor behind her. The baggy nightshirt she wore, falling down to just above her knees, was much more comfortable.

Most of the boys had already gone to sleep, but not Daniel she saw as she closed the door to their shared room. He was still sat up beside a slumbering Ewin, fully clothed and alert.

When the catch of the door clicked in place, his sharp brown eyes turned to her.

Daniel was a mystery to her sometimes. Sometimes he was a typical idiot eighteen year old, smoking and failing at kick flips on his skateboard like a regular teenager. But then sometimes he looked at her with those eyes that were older than his years, and Summer didn't know what to make of him. Sometimes, it felt like he was staring into her very soul.

She could barely look him in the eye after what had happened, averting her gaze to the lower skirting board to her right instead.

"I'm sorry about what happened earlier." She said quietly, voice barely audible. "I didn't mean to freak out like that."

She wondered forward with heavy steps toward her sleeping bag and sat down on it with crossed legs, watching her sleeping son with tired eyes. It was the first time she had seen him since she had thrown up at the roadside.

Daniel shot her a small smile, finger gently playing with a strand of Ewin's blonde hair. "I get it." He murmured softly. "I think I finally understand you now."

Summer finally blinked her eyes up, heart beating just a tiny bit faster. She gulped nervously. "Really?" _How could he know?_

She held Daniel's gaze for mere seconds though, before his travelled down to her son. "It's something to do with him." He went on. "He's not just a normal kid. In the car, the way you looked at him…" his head shook slowly. "It was like he wasn't human in your eyes. Something has scarred you deep…and it has something to do with him."

Well, he wasn't entirely wrong, Summer thought, holding her breath. How could Daniel be so perceptive? In the car, she hadn't seen her son. She had seen her rapist, following her across the galaxy and yes, at that time, it had put the fear of God in her.

Lowering her eyes to her son, all she could see now was her sweet baby. He may look like his father, but he was not him. He never would be.

Despite knowing that though, Summer wondered if she would ever truly stop being afraid of Thor, no matter how much she tried to break free of his influence.

"I'm trying to find someone." She finally revealed, keeping her gaze on Ewin's peaceful face. "That girl in America, Darcy… she works with an astrophysicist in New Mexico called Jane Foster. I need to see her, meet her. She can help us, me and Ewin."

He deserved it; Daniel deserved some semblance of an explanation after her reaction on the roadside. If anything, she could tell him how she was not as crazy as she had appeared.

She felt his gaze turn to her more than saw it for herself. "An astrophysicist?" he breathed. "Like stars and stuff, right? What can she do to help you guys?"

Just thinking about it, Summer felt her breath catch, like she'd been punched square in the chest. "She knows how to find somebody I once knew." She said as smoothly as she could, feeling like a rubber band was squeezing her lungs. "I need her to show me how to find them again."

She wasn't going to tell him everything, she decided. Just enough for him to understand.

"Is it Ewin's father?"

The air knocked out of her lungs again. "No." she said stiffly.

Her path might lead her to Thor eventually, but he was not who she wanted to see. She never wanted to see that monster again for as long as she lived.

Her eyes flickered up as she caught Daniel move, his finger abandoning Ewin's lock of hair to lean back, palms bracing on the floor behind him. "So you're going to New Mexico, huh?" he smiled warmly, mercifully moving on quickly. "Wow."

Just seeing his kind, glittering eyes teased a small smile from her. "One day." She breathed, feeling the elastic band round her chest loosen slightly. "That's what I'm saving for. I check Facebook every now and then just to make sure she is still there. Dr Foster doesn't update much but her assistant does..."

"That explains it." Daniel nodded, rolling his eyes off in thought. "When are you going?"

Summer shrugged. "When I have enough money?"

"Far off?"

Another shrug. "Not really." She said. "Another few months maybe…"

Once she had found the band and life had gotten more stable, she had gotten quite good at saving money. But she could only afford to put away a tiny percentage of her paychecks – the rest she needed for her and Ewin to live. Still, no matter how small it was, it was building up.

All she wanted was to provide Ewin with a good life, and though she was trying her best on her own, she wanted more for the both of them. He didn't deserve this hardship.

Ewin deserved a loving family, just as every child did. It was a cruel irony to think that it was actually his blood relatives to have been the ones to deprive him of that. Despite that though, Summer would give him the best life she could. She didn't care what she had to sacrifice to get him a loving life, full of opportunity.

And if Loki loved her half as much as he had claimed to on Asgard, he would help her fill in the gaps in their lives.

"Anyway," she suddenly cleared her throat, thinking of Loki just draining her, weighing down her heart. Gods, how she missed him… "I just wanted to apologize for earlier."

She was planning on turning over and settling in her sleeping bag, hoping that the incident would have been forgotten by morning. But the moment, she glanced behind her, Daniel leaned forward and grasped her upper arm firmly, stopping her.

Snapping her head back, she instantly found his unnaturally wisened eyes. "Summer," he said softly, "Look, I know things are hard for you and that I understand that something happened," his gaze roamed back to where Ewin slept briefly, "To really screw you up. I know you don't talk. But I just want you to know that I'm here if you ever need to."

Summer hadn't realized she'd been holding her breath, until she was suddenly gasping in air, chest once again impossibly tight. When had she started crying?, she wondered, feeling the betraying pearly tear run down her cheek.

Her heart was thumping hard – but she was grateful when Daniel didn't push it, gently letting his hand fall away from her.

She felt paralyzed as she watched him slowly retreat back to his sleeping bag, frozen in place until Daniel finally tore their gaze apart and settled in his sleeping bag. Shakily, Summer did the same.

Tears still leaked from her eyes down into her pillow, but for once, she really didn't care as she turned to face the wall. She stared at the torn off wallpaper, feeling her heart crack slowly in her chest.

She hadn't planned on reaching for her necklace, but when her hand reached for it of its own accord, holding in a protective fist up to her face, it helped soothe the pain slightly. She held it tight enough to feel the pointier edges dig hard into her skin, wondering if they would bleed if she held it hard enough.

Loki wouldn't want her to try that though, she knew. Loosening her grip, she uncurled her fingers just enough to be able to press a soft kiss to the silver.

 _Soon, Loki,_ she promised him silently. _I'll fix this._

XXX

The operation was pretty much running itself by this point, Loki observed as he strolled slowly through the underground hideout.

By now, it was bustling with people. More soldiers. More scientists. The curious thing was that it was only a small proportion that were actually under the mind control of his staff; the rest were here of their own free will, all too keen to bring S.H.I.E.L.D to its knees.

"S.H.I.E.L.D has no shortage of enemies, doctor." Barton said darkly from ahead, catching Loki's ear.

This had all been possible because of him. He had rallied the workers to this scheme and was quickly proving to be a valuable resource. He was efficient and reliable.

And he didn't seem at all bothered to get his hands dirty when he believed he was doing the right thing. Loki was glad of that most of all; it saved him having to kill more than he had to, limiting his guilt. Barton took it on all too happily. He was probably used to killing on command, not losing sleep on who it was he slaughtered.

Loki wasn't used to killing outside the battlefield though, and he couldn't say he enjoyed it. Every time he killed, it made him feel sick inside.

He didn't have a choice though, he constantly reminded himself. He had to do this for Summer. Whether she stayed with him or not, she would inevitably end up dead if he did not play his part.

That drove him on.

He still felt shaken from his report to The Other though, the threats still lingering in his mind.

Still, he was glad he had Agent Barton taking care of everything for him. He barely needed to be there, in truth. It was a great relief, having things move so quickly. It gave him hope that this would all be over soon.

At the same time it frightened him - what was he becoming?

Once again though, Barton and Selvig's conversation distracted him as he approached.

"Especially if SHIELD knows you need it." Barton muttered, tapping at the handheld screen. Loki guessed he had found what he needed to know.

Selvig stretched his arms wide. "I didn't know!"

They had made some kind of breakthrough lately on the Tesseract, Loki understood. He didn't bother to get too involved with the science, but he was glad they were making progress. New information was coming to light, and luckily, it was information that S.H.I. didn't know. Their path to what they needed would be clear.

Loki could see the power of the mind stone swirling in Selvig's crystal blue eyes, dancing with glee. It was almost frightening how much joy Selvig seemed to have since working with the Tesseract. Just looking at him, Loki knew he would never be the same man again.

He put it to the back of his mind though as those almost childlike eyes found him, simply glittering.

"Hey!" Selvig greeted, moving round to a more central position in front of the clear, plastic flaps. He beamed at Loki. "The Tesseract has shown me so much. It's more than knowledge, it's…truth."

His eyes shone as he said it, almost like Loki had given him the keys to Valhalla itself. It wasn't something Loki wanted to understand though. He was just glad it fuelled the plan so effectively.

"I know." Loki acknowledged warmly, unable to fight a smirk at how smoothly everything was going now.

He had heard them before. They needed some kind of compound or element to kick start the cube. Iridium was what they called it here on Earth. Apparently it was not as common here as it was in Asgard.

Naturally, the talented Agent Barton had been able to find a stash. He held the next move. "What did it show you, Agent Barton?"

The spy turned round slowly, turning his glassy eyes to his master. They looked almost dead, a complete contrast to Selvig's. Barton must be fighting it, Loki realized, whereas Selvig had succumbed completely.

Humans were so easily controlled, he thought to himself. Even though Barton was fighting, he had no hope of winning. They were so easily corrupted.

So was Summer.

With this new reflection, he struggled to hold his grudge against her. Humans were weak, with short lives. They did not have the patience he had.

She must have been so desperate and frightened back when he had seen her with that mortal. She had no way of knowing if Loki was coming for her. He had left her the necklace though. He often thought of if she had found it. How had she felt? What did she do? In an ideal world, she kept it as a sign of hope, that he was coming for her.

In reality though, he had no idea.

As cruel as it was though, he was hoping to use Summer's weakness against her. He loved how kind and caring she was – but he hoped he could convince her to overlook those qualities long enough to not ask him about his crimes.

She had to understand. If these men could be so easily turned, their minds so easily warped, then surely Summer could too, to a lesser extent. He didn't want her to think it was okay, what he had done. He just wanted her to pretend it hadn't happened at all, to feign ignorance to this one simple fact.

Hopefully, they could then move on, with a fresh start for the both of them. Together.

Despite the internal battle going on inside Barton, those blue eyes stayed steady. "My next target." He replied calmly.

"Tell me what you need?"

Whatever it was, Loki would do it. They were so close to completing the preparations now it was almost unbelievable. They had done so much work, so quickly.

The spy didn't need to think about his answer. Loki watched him stride to his weapons case, lifting the lid and taking out his trusted bow. For as strange a bow it was, Loki couldn't deny he was impressed the soldier had with it. He would be an interesting challenger to some of the Asgardian archers even.

"I need a distraction." Barton said firmly, readying his weapon. "And an eyeball."

He held Loki's gaze for just a moment before he strode off, calling more soldiers to his side. The spy was already working on a plan, Loki noted, impressed.

Curiously, he wondered forward to the table where Barton had left the tablet. Picking it up, it took him a moment to understand what he was looking at. One side of the tablet held the information on the iridium while the other side held the profile of a man.

 _Dr. Heindrick Scholfer._

Loki guessed this was the man who had the iridium they needed. This was their target.

And if Barton needed an eyeball for this mission, Dr. Heindrick Scholfer would probably not survive.

He put the sentimental thought from his mind though, focusing his attention on the mission. Where was this man? Where would they need to travel to? He was sure Agent Barton was fully on top of everything, coordinating the operation.

All the same, he wanted to know what was going on. Scrolling through Scholfer's profile, he searched for a location.

 _Germany._

He didn't have much knowledge of this world's geography. Of course the first thing he'd looked for when he'd accessed a map was to find where Summer was. He knew where she was on this planet. Other than that, the words of lands meant nothing to him.

Tapping the name on the screen brought up an atlas map that engulfed the device. Loki zoomed in on the green dot marked Germany.

There was quite a distance between them and Germany, he noted, measuring the distance between it and the flashing red light of their location. Agent Barton could handle that though.

Loki was more preoccupied with something else – how much shorter the distance was between him and Summer in Germany.

XXX

Space looked beautiful from Asgard, a perfect backdrop of absolute black smattered with brilliant stars. It was a stunning sight to see when the sun fell.

From the edge of the Bifrost, you could see the two worlds meet, the darkness of the sky meeting the watered horizon of Asgard. The starlight danced over the waves, glittering in the night beautifully with the gentle roar of the waterfall lulling the city to sleep.

There would be no sleep for the thunder god that night though.

Thor stood on the edge of the broken rainbow bridge where the Bifrost had once stood, his troubled gaze staring out to the world.

He was more than accustomed to this place by now. He came here nearly every evening, to check on Jane under Heimdall's eye, but tonight the gatekeeper was not here. The god stood alone.

 _Loki lives,_ Heimdall had declared when he had called Thor and Odin to meeting earlier that day. _From what my eyes can see, he plans to overcome Midgard._

The information tore Thor apart inside. Standing there, on the edge of the bridge, he was reminded of the last time he had seen his brother.

When Loki had let himself fall.

They had been sure nothing would have survived the destruction of the fallen Bifrost, but somehow, it seemed Loki had.

Thor wasn't so bothered by the how. A part of him wanted to be happy that his brother was alive again, that the pain he had felt in his brother's absence over the last year could maybe be undone.

But then he remembered where his brother was. Midgard. When he thought of that, he knew things would never be as they once were.

Loki would not be there by accident.

It made Thor clench his fists at his sides, heart hammering with rage in his chest.

What was he doing there? From what the guardian had said, he had rallied a small troop of warriors and scientists, including one of Thor's comrades from New Mexico. Did Loki know he was Thor's friend? Was it a coincidence or was it one of Loki's spiteful moves to get back at his brother?

If that was the case, it only made Thor all the more anxious to stop him. If Loki had ensnared one of his friends, what was to stop him going after the rest? What was to stop him going after Jane?

Loki was dangerous to Jane in more than one way. Would her hurt her? Kill her?

Or worse – would he tell her about what he had done nearly two years ago?

Either way, he was going to stop him.

He would not let the past ruin any more than it already had. Summer Martins would stay a secret and whatever had become of her. Surely Loki would try to find her again; her and the fruit of his sins. Thor had to ensure that didn't happen.

His teeth clenched in determination: Summer Martins could never be found.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Too easy; it was almost too easy.

It had all run like clockwork. Honestly, Loki had hardly needed to do a thing so far. He had blended in perfectly as he had calmly walked down the stairs to the grand party, dressed once again in mortal clothes. Well, the glamour he shielded himself in was that of mortal clothes.

Outer security hadn't said a word to him as he walked in, not even glancing at him. Walking down the steps, he surveyed the crowd. It didn't take him long to find Dr Heindrick Schafer.

Nobody batted an eyelid at him as he descended. It was all just too easy, he thought.

Casually, he tossed the spear, disguised as a mere cane, smoothly in the air, catching it effortlessly – then knocked the guard out with it, a clean swipe across the face. Not dead, just knocked out.

Killing one man would be bad enough tonight.

He made a move for his target in a heartbeat. Schafer had barely turned around before Loki had his hand around his throat, forcing him back. A flick of his wrist had the man on his back across a gold plated table. Or was it an exhibition? Loki didn't care.

The guests backed away quickly, gasping with horror, hands covering their mouths in shock. _Just wait_ , Loki thought, pulling out the device and shaking it active. It hummed with life.

The moment the blades began to spin, Loki knew Barton was ready. Silently, he apologized to the terrified man beneath him.

It didn't stop him thrusting the device down though, carving out the man's eye.

That was when the screaming started.

Loki watched the guests run with almost amusement, nobody knowing where to go, all fleeing in different directions. It was ludicrous.

 _Run,_ he willed, _scream. Draw attention to yourselves._ He was going to be the best distraction that there ever was. He wondered how long it would take for S.H.I.E.L.D operatives to close in on the party.

When the man finally stilled beneath his hands though, he couldn't hold back his grin. That was it, he told himself. From here on out, he would not have to personally kill anymore people. The rest of the violence would be done by Barton and the Chitauri, while he watched and searched for Summer. Schafer was his last kill. He was glad of that fact.

He pulled the device free from the corpse and tucked it away with a relieved sigh. He felt like a burden had been lifted from him.

At last the guests had all seemed to converge around the main doors of the establishment, spilling from the hall desperately. Loki followed leisurely. Time for a distraction.

He let his glamour fall away, the suit, tie and green scarf melting into thin air. It was a shame; he rather liked mortal clothes. He took comfort in the fact that he would soon wear them again for real though – with Summer.

For now though, he let his full Asgardian armour come to light as he stepped out into the German street. His cape fell around his ankles and the blade of the spear gleamed in the nightlight, Loki striding coolly over the red carpet like he had all the time in the world, pursuing the fleeing guests. They were gathering quite the crowd on the street.

He needed to gather his flock; Loki picked up his pace ever so slightly.

Piercing siren's screeched through the night and Loki gritted his teeth against the awful sound. As soon as the car whizzed into sight, he took it out, skidding it onto its hood behind him in a haze of electric blue.

Now the rest of the bystanders were running too. His keen sight caught the steps they were all heading for and he morphed a copy there, blocking their escape. They all cowered away from the sight of him in terror – right into another copy. Loki had them trapped.

"Kneel before me." He ordered. Barton wanted a distracting scene, then by the gods, Loki would cause a scene.

The mortals were all cornered in the lowered part of the street, the god cutting off their only exit. Between himself and his three copies, he had a nice little cage. A thud of the spears against the pavement sent the brilliant light of the spears jewels glowing, emphasizing the mortal's captivity.

They still didn't move though, just stood there, cornered. _That will not do_ , he thought to himself. "I said _kneel!"_

His voice seemed to echo forever, hanging in the air. After a tense moment though, the knees began to drop. Some had palms up in surrender, others their hands submissively in their laps – all knelt obediently before him.

He smiled in satisfaction; mortals made it all so easy… "Is not this simpler?" he asked softly, arms stretched openly, almost welcomingly. He stepped forward, moving slowly through his subdued flock. They were not going anywhere. They knew that. They would stay put. "Is this not your natural state?"

They bent to his will so submissively. Asgardians would never do that, proud and stubborn to the bone. Thor would rather die with his honour than kneel to anybody other than Odin. Even that he did with the knowledge that it would not be long.

He did not want to think of his brother though, turning his attention back to his gentle followers. "It's the unspoken truth of humanity. That you crave subjugation."

 _Lies,_ he thought to himself. These people may kneel, the men doing the sneaky work stealing the iridium may be made to be ruled, but not all. Not Summer. One look in her eyes and you could tell; Loki remembered that look of hers well. Gentle, but defiant. Determined to never be the victim again.

She had been through so much pain in her life before Loki, it broke his heart to think about it. Pain she decided she would rather die than endure. If they hadn't have found her…

No, Summer was not made to be ruled. She was not made to be put down. She was not made to be abused. She was not made to be raped by a tyrant prince –

His fist clenched tightly around his staff and he bit down the flare of anger that surged in his heart. He needed to be calm.

He took a deep breath, scouring his eyes around the mortals. "You were made to be ruled." Guilt shone in their eyes as they accepted his words. Or was that just fear? "In the end you will always kneel."

 _But not Summer,_ he breathed in his mind. Summer would bow to no one; he would keep her safe.

Those monsters that had abused her though, who had hurt her beyond what her spirit could bear, they would pay. They would kneel in submission so that they could never hurt anybody else again. His only regret was that he could not yet force Thor to do the same.

Perhaps one day though, when Thanos ruled. Maybe then the opportunity would present itself.

A flicker of movement caught his eye and he glanced up in time to see a wizened, old mortal slowly rise to his feet. Defiance blazed in his experienced eyes, glaring squarely at Loki.

The god admired his courage. He was the only one daring to stand, as frail as he was. What hope did he have to defend himself? He was powerless. Loki could see the pain in his eyes as he slowly rose, his old body failing him, but he dragged himself to his feet regardless.

His courage would not save him though, Loki thought. He could not allow defiance. Between Summer and this old man, the choice was obvious.

Finally, the elder declared his stand. "Not to men like you." He said in a frail, but determined voice.

 _Men_.

Loki couldn't fight the smile spreading on his face as he heard those words. This old man thought Loki was but a man? With all he had seen, he still believed that Loki was but a mere mortal? It was ludicrous. What mortal changed his form in the blink of an eye? What man could spin another onto his back with just a flick of his wrist?

He was no mere man. "There are no men like me." He said, not bothering to contain the obvious glee in his voice.

He was in control of this. For the first time, in a long time, he actually felt in control. It made him feel powerful.

The elder's eyes were firm though, gleaming almost sadly. Something about them irritated Loki though; he was looking at Loki with _pity._ Loki didn't want his pity. He wanted his submission – his _help_ – to protect the woman he loved.

"There are always men like you."

Men like Loki? What did that mean? Killers? Troublemakers? Robbers? Liars? What kind of man did he believe Loki was?

 _I am not the villain here_ , Loki bit back curtly in his head, defending himself silently. He knew he could not do it aloud. _I am just fighting back for what was taken from me._

It was men like Thor that he was fighting against, the truly dangerous ones. Surely the old man could understand that? Perhaps he would if he knew the reasons behind Loki's actions. But he would not get that chance, Loki decided, the angering thoughts of his brother still hovering in his mind.

He was not Thor. He was nothing like Thor. He would never be anything like the monster that Thor was.

And the old man would pay for implying that he was.

"Look to your elder people." He declared, forcing his smile to stay on his face. _Take this as a warning,_ he warned the people silently, as he aimed the blade of the spear towards the elder. It glowed with its gathering power. "Let him be an example to you."

 _I am not Thor._

His heart was hammering in his chest as the blast of energy left the tip of the spear, blotting out the man's widening eyes.

Loki had barely blinked though before a man dropped from the sky, and the next thing he knew there was a blinding flash of blue with the ground rushing up to meet him.

The breath was forced out of his lungs as his hands pushed himself up from the ground, seething with fury.

Although he shouldn't be angry, he realized as he glanced up at the red, white and blue clad figure, rising from behind his circular shield. A glimmer of triumph flickered in Loki's mind. They were playing right into his hands.

 _And so it begins,_ he thought, as he rose to his feet.

XXX

"Okay," Summer said into the phone sandwiched between her ear and shoulder, fingers tapping on the computer touch-screen. "Yes, we have space at 8. How many?"

Summer typed in the reservation details into the computer system as the customer told it to her, tapping the information in mechanically.

"Yes, okay," she nodded against the phone. "Under what name?"

" _Lewis."_

Her hand froze against the computer screen.

 _Lewis._ She thought back to David Lewis, the old friend who had taken her in over a year ago when she had been desperate and felt a shiver run through her. Just thinking about him, she remembered the face on his cousins Facebook – Thor.

Her heart pounded in her chest as her mind left the restaurant, transported right back to that day in his flat.

David had been good to her – too good, almost. He liked her too much; that was what had led him to kiss her after all. That in turn had driven Loki away from her.

It couldn't be him could it? It didn't sound like his voice on the phone. And what would he be doing so far away from Portsmouth?

Then again, he did have family everywhere. The Lewis family stretched across three countries, with their businesses and expensive schooling. They could be anywhere really. Perhaps, they were visiting their chain of cafes. There was a Lewis's nearby, but it would be odd that they wouldn't eat in their own establishment.

She wasn't sure she could face him again. She had given him the slip in the middle of the night, after all he had done for her. How could she face him after that?

" _Er…hello?"_

She quickly blinked herself back to the present, typing the name into the reservation booking. "Sorry," she mumbled under her breath. "Okay, that's all booked for 8 for you."

She clicked the phone off without saying goodbye, replacing it on the stand a little harsher than she should have. Bracing her hands on the table, her mind still whirled. It couldn't be him, could it? Surely not? She was supposed to be working tonight too…

What if he had followed her? What would he want? Money for the things he bought her, to shame her for running away, to take Ewin away.

Ewin would be there tonight as well. It would be so easy for him to show up with social services and take him away if that was what he wanted to do. They took kids away from disadvantaged mothers all the time, no matter how hard Summer might be trying.

The thought just stole the breath from her lungs and she just stood there in horror. She couldn't let Ewin be taken.

But she needed the money. She didn't have enough for them to start over again.

Her hand brushed back as few loose strands of hair from her forehead and she forced herself to take a deep breath. _No_ , she told herself, _it would be fine._

She turned her gaze across the restaurant to the children's area, spotting her little blonde boy sat in the ball pool content.

He was still there. A sigh of relief left her.

She had no choice but to bring him to work with her. All the other band members were either at other jobs or at university, and gods only knew she could not afford day care.

Luckily, the pub had a children's section, with mats, soft climbing frames, a ball pit and a slide, tucked neatly in the corner. Ewin was quite content to sit there while his mother worked, and her boss was happy for him to be there if it kept him out of the way and his waitress focused. It made Summer sad to see him sat by himself all the time, not playing with the other children, but she knew she had no choice. She was doing this to get a better life for him.

A few other children were running around the climbing area but there was only Ewin and another young toddler in the ball pit, with their mother.

Summer smiled as she watched the young woman catch Ewin's eye and moved her own little boy closer to him. The little orange haired boy held out a little blue ball to Ewin, but her boy just looked at it, sucking his thumb.

She appreciated the lady's effort never the less.

Ewin didn't play much. Considering he spent quite a lot of time around other youngsters, he didn't like to socialize much, always very shy. It was starting to concern Summer a little though, especially as she watched the orange haired boy say some basic words to his mother and how she clapped in delight in response. She had watched him walk slowly over to the ball pit too.

Her son didn't do that. He could stand on his own, but fell down as soon as he tried to move. And he hadn't spoken a single word yet.

She tried not to let it bother her, but sometimes she did wonder if it was her fault? What if she wasn't spending enough time with him? She worked as much as she could to support him, but what if it was doing more harm than good?

She shook her head clear of the thoughts as she turned back to the restaurant, catching her boss's eye from the bar.

 _Get back to work,_ his stern gaze said silently.

She nodded, brushing her hands down the front of her navy uniform and walking through the tables, collecting the used glasses left behind. Lunch service had just finished.

It was a relaxed establishment there. The traditional British pub ran along one side of the building and the slightly more formal restaurant area along the other, with the kitchen in between and the bar running around it. It was old, but not falling apart. The décor was quite dark and simple, with a few broken games machines along the wall, small square tables in the restaurant and cushioned seats that were lucky not to have any cracks in them from their age.

It paid her well enough and worked around her other work. Most importantly, it helped her keep Ewin at her side.

Even if her boss was scary.

Dumping the glasses in the kitchen to be washed, she made her way back to the computer to check the reservations. It wasn't going to be very busy that evening, she noticed with relief.

"Summer!"

She whipped round as she heard her boss's unmistakable voice, finding him instantly behind the bar. Glass and dishcloth in one hand, he waved her over with his left.

Trotting over quickly, she stood up on her toes and leaned over the counter. "Yes, sir?"

Carlos was an older-than-he-looked middle aged man with an Italian heritage, always with a grumpy, intimidating look on his face. She had seen him laugh around the men when a football game was on, bartering to the customers. But never to her. She knew he didn't like her.

She didn't mind much, considering she didn't like him either. She thought his gelled back greying hair made his face look sterner and didn't think his wearing a beer branded t-shirt and jeans behind the bar was very professional, considering he insisted every other employee – even the gardener – wore their black and navy uniform at all times.

"Siobhan has just gone home sick." He said, leaning a forearm on the bar. "Take your lunch at five, when Laura gets here to cover."

Summer's bright eyes dropped in a heartbeat. What? He wanted her to push back her lunch break for another three hours?! She had been working since 8am and was starving, but it wasn't herself she was concerned about.

"C-can I not just go quickly now for ten minutes?" she stammered desperately, feeling her heart stop a little. "It's just Ewin," she covered quickly. "He hasn't eaten since I started shift and-"

"Look," Carlos cut off firmly, pointing a finger right under Summer's nose. "You work to this establishment's schedule, not the other way around. _You are here to work._ You're personal problems are not my problem." He waved off, straightening up to turn his back to her.

Shaking her head, Summer didn't let him. "I'm sorry, but I need some kind of break." She pressed calmly, forcing him to glance back at her.

Ewin hadn't had food or drink for 6 hours. He needed something! Her child's health would not wait another 3 hours and she would not do that to him.

"Legally, I am entitled to a twenty minute break for six hours of work, and I have worked that so far today."

She always arrived early and the time was just gone quarter past 2 in the afternoon, she determined from a quick glance at the clock on the wall.

"Take it up with your lawyer later," Carlos waved off, knowing she had no such power to back up her statements that could defend her at that exact moment. "But right now, I need you to work until 5."

Summer opened her mouth to argue her case-

An almighty shriek from the children's area cut her off though before she started, followed by a frantic "Oh my God!".

She felt her heart plummet in a second, knowing that voice belonged to the mother of the orange haired toddler. The one who had been with Ewin.

Running round to get a clear view of the ball pit, glimpsing Carlos ducking under the bar to investigate behind her, Summer anxiously held her breath, mind focused only on checking Ewin was okay. She swore violently in her head when she saw the children though.

Ewin was sat there in the ball pit, looking stroppy and grumpy as he turned away from the child who had been trying to play with him just moments ago.

The other kid though…

"Look at what he did to my son!" the mother shrieked as she hooked her hands under her screaming son's arms and lifted him away. Stepping outside the ball pit, she knelt down and sat her son on the floor, clasping his face between her hands.

The toddler was covered in blood, his nose streaming and very swollen in his little face. Was it broken?, Summer wondered, heart in her mouth.

The young mother's eyes glanced up to Carlos, knowing he was the man in charge. She pointed back to Ewin, flushed furiously. "He just hit my kid! Did you see that?! Jesus, I think he's broken his nose!"

Summer's heart pounded away as she looked at the little boy's blood soaked face. Could children break their noses? Apparently so – or something to that degree at least. Something had happened to that child to cause all that blood to stream from his nose.

But Ewin? He didn't hurt anyone.

He had hit her one or two times before, but as soon as she had told him how bad it was, he had never done it again. She had never seen him hit another child though. She had never seen him do anything like that.

Could children hit hard enough to draw blood like that? Surely they weren't strong enough…

 _But Ewin wasn't a normal baby_ , a voice in her head reminded her.

She felt her face pale in a heartbeat as she remembered the Asgardian blood of his father flowing through his veins. His father was strong – all Asgardians were stronger than mortals.

Suddenly, Summer felt like she was going to be sick. Her son was becoming more and more like his father, she realized with horror.

His innocent blue eyes turned to her, wide and glistening with childish naivety. _What's happened?_ , they were asking, _What did I do?_

It broke Summer's heart just to look at him.

And it broke a child's nose by getting on his bad side.

"Who is he with?" the lady shrieked, snapping her head around to catch the guilty mother or father. She obviously didn't bargain on them being a currently on-duty member of staff. "Where are his parents?!"

Summer swore in her head again, feeling truly sick to her stomach. Slowly, she turned to her boss.

Carlos's blazing gaze sacked her on the spot.

 **A/N**

 **What do you think about Ewin turning more and more into his father? How is Summer going to afford their travel to New Mexico now she's a job down?**

 **Leave a review! :3**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

On the bus ride home, Summer felt like she was in a coma, nausea swirling in her stomach. What was she going to do?

With her income halved, she was going to have to rethink her plan. New Mexico would not be happening soon at this rate. Now, she would have not have enough money to cover rent, let alone saving any left over. She would have to dip into her savings, she realized with a sinking heart.

Ewin sat on her lap on the rickety bus, the old engine making the stops and starts jerky and harsh. With one arm braced on the seat in front and the other around her son's middle, she held him back from hurting himself. That would be the last thing she needed.

Still it wasn't so much the hurt he could do to himself that was on her mind right then; it was the hurt he was doing to others.

He had broken that kid's nose.

And he had done that by patting him playfully. He was stronger than he realized, and it was starting to show.

For now he was only a baby and the worst it had done was fire Summer from her job. She didn't blame her boss. If one of her employee's kids, who was allowed to stay on the premises as a favour, hurt one of the clients, she would sack them too.

What would happen when he was older though? Would kids think of him as a bully? When he was old enough, losing control of his strength and hurting someone could get him arrested.

Summer tightened her arm around her innocent baby boy.

She would not let him turn into his father, she thought, recognizing the effortless brute strength. Ewin was too good for that. He needed a future.

And if he grew up so much as forgetting to hold the door open for a woman, Summer would be disappointed in herself.

Ewin was still a child. He may have his raw qualities, like his fathers strength, but he was still young. He could still learn. As his mother, it was Summer's job to mould him into a decent young man.

Like Loki.

Loki had brought her flowers when she was sad. He had walked with her when she was nervous on her own. He had always strived to make her comfortable and happy.

While his brother had just been angry and jealous, and had caused her a trauma that she would bear the fruit of for the rest of her life.

She would never let Ewin repeat his father's mistakes. She would raise him to be a gentleman, she resolved in her head, staring down at her blonde little angel.

One day the people on this bus would smile at what a nice young man he was, Summer thought to herself, glancing around. They all knew her for the wrong reasons. She was the girl who had just shown up, baby in tow, fighting to make a life for herself. It was a small community. News always travelled fast.

Nobody spoke to her, even though she saw the same people on the bus every day. There was always the man with the leather jacket on the back seat. There was always the old white haired lady with the shopping bags sat in the fold down seats along the right hand side. There was always a student or two skipping from school to get an early ride home. They all had their faces turned away from her. Even the driver seemed to glare at her when she bought her tickets.

But it would not stay this way, she told herself. Things would improve. Either here, with Ewin – or far away, with Loki.

Only that would take more time than she had originally planned.

She thought of her savings and how much she might have to take out of them before she could find another job. They would not starve while she was unemployed, that was for sure. She had enough savings to support them for a while.

But New Mexico …

It felt like her hard work had been for nothing. Staring out the window, she wondered if the dry, bush lined roads would all she would ever know. What if she never got out of this town?

Jane Foster wouldn't be in New Mexico forever. It had already been a year that she had stayed there? How long did research like that take?

So far, she was Summer's best shot at finding Loki. She had been lucky that New Mexico wasn't actually the most expensive place to get to, the actual plane ticket costs only taking half of her time to save up for.

It was more the rest of the living costs she was preparing for. Dr Foster may not have the answers to get to Asgard yet. How long would it take for her to figure it out? All that time, Summer and Ewin would have to wait. That involved paying for a place to stay, for food, baby supplies for Ewin…she had so far planned on roughly two months living costs to see her through.

And after that, she needed enough for plane tickets home, just in case it all failed.

No matter how much Summer wanted for everything to work out, she could not risk leaving her baby stranded and penniless in a foreign country so far away.

All that money she needed had still been building up. It all seemed like such a far away dream now.

Her attention was snatched away though as the bush lined road was swept away by small cottage like buildings, gradually building up to tiny attached houses. As they drove further into the town, shops propping up amongst the residences, Summer jabbed the nearest button for the bus to stop.

Her arm tightened around Summer as the bus came to a slow, but harsh stop, an awful screeching from the breaks hurting her ears.

Slipping out the booth and setting Ewin on her hip, she quickly hopped off the bus, not pausing for a beat as she walked back to the house. It wasn't far. Though an alleyway, and across a road, and she was there.

Everyone would probably be in around this time, she thought. They usually all hung around in the afternoon, writing songs or rehearsing. Not that she was ever there to see it. It felt strange to be back home so early; it was a feeling she didn't want to get used to.

She set Ewin down on his feet for a moment as she fumbled around her pockets for her keys, feeling the boy cling to her leg as she finally dug it out.

She swung him back to her hip as she stepped through the front door, kicking it lightly behind her.

"I thought it was New Mexico."

"Albuquerque _is_ in New Mexico, you idiot! I though you were supposed to be smart?"

"Shut up and just take the stupid card."

Summer frowned as she caught the front door with her hand, closing it quietly. She didn't know what she was expecting to come home too, but it certainly wasn't shouting like that.

What was going on? She could hear Daniel and Anthony, but what the hell were they talking about? Daniel hadn't told Anthony, had he?

Her heart was hammering as she eyed down the hallway of the flat, seeing on of the beat up couches of the sitting room at the end of it. It was empty though; they must all be on the one against the wall, behind the door.

More voices wafted through the flat as Summer slowly advanced.

"Is Ewin a child or an infant?"

"An infant, you muppet. Can't you read? Infants are two years or under."

"Are you sure Ewin's under two?"

"Sweet Jesus…"

 _Ewin is under two_ , Summer answered curiously in her head. As she approached the doorway, she paused for a moment, listening once again. She silently put Ewin down for a moment, feeling him lightly touch her calf.

She held her breath as she listened for more. Her heart was hammering in her chest.

 _Thud._

Summer swore in her head.

She knew what the sound was long before she glanced down and saw her fallen son on the floor, braced on his forearms from his fall. At least, he hadn't hit his face, she thought, his head clearly still up and alert. His eyes were still crossed in confusion though as he glanced up at her.

Of course, she thought: he still couldn't walk unaided. She shouldn't have put him down.

Ewin's thud had betrayed her, and in a second, all four faces of her band mates popped up in the sitting room doorway. Daniel was the first to frown, and break the silence. "What are you doing here?" he asked bluntly.

Glancing between her friends and Ewin, Summer was at a lost for words, caught. Flustered, she rebuffed the attention. "Me?! What the heck are you lot doing?"

She eyed Daniel, meeting his slightly irritated gaze and trying to work him out. She had heard him mention New Mexico – had he told them?

He must have said something, she reasoned. "What did you tell them?"

Daniel's eyes blinked innocently. "Nothing!" he insisted in a heartbeat. "I mean, only the bit about-"

"I can't believe you, Daniel…." Summer cut off quickly, her hand reaching up to rub her temples as she dropped her gaze. So he had told them. They knew all those thing she had told him in confidence. _Dammit._

"We might as well just tell her now, Danny." She heard Josh say. "Can't really keep it a secret now, can we?"

What? What were they going to do? Kick her out? Evict her? Cut her from the band? What? What more could they do to ruin her day further, honestly?

She glanced up though as she heard Daniel's reluctant sigh. Whatever he was going to say, she was going to look him in the eye and take it like a soldier. She didn't take her eyes off him, even as he glanced back behind him and pulled his laptop forward, over Anthony's head.

He shot her a sheepish grin before he spun the screen around to face her. This hadn't been what she'd expected.

Curious, Summer stepped forward and leaned down, frowning at the screen. It was an email, she noted, recognizing Daniel's hotmail account. _Your New Confirmation – Booking Reference 1467249,_ was the subject of the email. Confirmation of what?

Scouring her eyes lower over the rest of the email, Summer felt the breath hitch in her throat. Her heart pounded like a run away freight train.

A flight to Albuquerque, New Mexico on the 10th May, for one adult and on infant.

She felt tears come to her eyes as she found the names for the plane seats: _Summer and Ewin Martins._

Her hand raised to cover her mouth as she choke back an emotional gasp, feeling her fingers tremble. They had bought them tickets to New Mexico. Between the boys, she could spot two passports on the couch seats – her and Ewin's. This wasn't a dream; they had really done it.

Her shimmering eyes rose up to meet Daniel's grinning face, the teenager beaming from ear to ear. "You're going to New Mexico."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

The muscles in Loki's chest ached as he sat in the Helicarrier, listening to the Avengers mutter among themselves anxiously. He could hear every word. He wondered if they knew that or not.

Even their leader sounded anxious to get him to their base soon. He was right to be wary, Loki thought to himself.

The distraction had gone perfectly, and Loki could feel through his connection with Barton that the iridium was safe. Had they even been pursued? It didn't seem so. Loki had commanded all the attention. All he had to do now was sit back and wait.

The smile slipped a little at the thought. The rest of the operation was almost out of his hands. Once the portal opened, there would be no stopping it.

But that was what he wanted, wasn't it? Why did he have such a gut churning feeling about something he wanted?

He not only wanted this, but _needed_ it. He had no chance of freedom with Summer if he did not control Midgard under Thanos' protection. Without that, Odin and Thor would come for him and they would never know peace. At best, they would always be on the run.

He could not ask that of her, especially with a baby. She needed a loving home, as she had back in Asgard before Thor had taken it.

"I don't remember it being that easy."

Loki couldn't help but smirk a little at the Captain's comment - e _asy?_ Fighting him had been less than easy. He was mortal of course, but even so Loki had expected a little more of a challenge from one so celebrated on Midgard.

The metal one hadn't been much better but at least he packed more of a punch. That kick of his may leave a little bruising, but nothing more. Even coated in metal, there wasn't much harm they could do to him.

Still, he'd had to wrap things up. He was glad the metal man had shown when he had. It would have looked suspicious if he had surrendered to the Captain. Even his comrades had seen the difference in their skill, concerned for his safety. He was lucky Loki had not been looking for further bloodshed, or he had been dead in minutes.

Suddenly, something crashed through the silence of his thoughts unescapably – thunder.

"Where's this coming from?"

Loki's eyes flickered up at the spies question from the cockpit, glimpsing the lightning forking angrily through the black sky through the windshield. It had been clear skies moments ago; Loki's heart sank in a second.

"What's the matter?" the Captain barked suspiciously, "Scared of a little lightning?"

 _If only you knew_ , Loki thought, turning his eyes up to the roof as if it might crash through any second. "I'm not overly fond of what follows." There was only one thing that this could be.

Almost on cue, the whole ship shuddered. The last of Loki's hope flittered away; this was a setback he had not seen coming.

Because it should have been practically impossible. With the Bifrost destroyed and the secret pathways known only to him, only the treacherous ways were left. Surely the Alfather wouldn't dare…only he did dare, if the storm outside was anything to go by. To stop Loki, it seemed like Odin was prepared to break all the rules.

Loki watched the metal man stride out onto the lowering ramp of the plane, cursing in his head. He had no idea what he had just welcomed.

"What are you doing?!"

 _Yes, what are you doing_ , Loki growled in his head, echoing the Captain's sentiments. They were just rolling out the carpet for his brother…

The thunder god dropped down from the sky with a metallic thud.

He was exactly as Loki remembered. His golden hair swirled around him in the storms wind, crystal fury in his eyes. He looked wild. Loki could hardly blame him; everything Loki had done, he had ensured to do to bring Thor the most pain, to ensure his beloved Earth fell while he was helpless to stop it on the sidelines.

Face to face with the fruit of his actions though, Loki couldn't deny the way his heart skipped a beat a little.

The rage gleamed from Thor's eyes without any need for words and as he beat back the metal man with one blunt hit of Mjolnir, Loki couldn't help but think how much pain _he_ was in store for. It wasn't in Thor's nature to hold back.

He didn't have a second to ponder it though before Thor strode forward and grabbed him by the throat, dragging to his feet.

In a heartbeat, he was dragged into the storm.

The icy wind hit him hard, taking the last of his breath from him as the gusts pounded into them and the darkness took over. He could barely see a thing.

What was Thor going to do?, Loki wondered. Would he kill him? Drag him back to Asgard? Neither option was desirable.

Trust Thor to waltz in just as everything was going to plan and ruin everything. Summer was practically in his grasp, waiting for him at the end of his path, before Thor had ripped him right off it!

Thor was so determined to ruin him, Loki realized as his brother dragged him through the night with an iron grip. Lightning flashed around them, giving Loki glimpses of Thor's thunderous face as he carved a path through the storm. Where the hell was he taking him? All Loki knew was that it was away from the ship. Away from the plan.

Away from Summer.

He needed to get back to the plane so they could take him back to base – that was the most important thing.

Soaring through the air, Loki peeled his eyes open against the wind gales and tried to gather his bearings. Once he found Thor though, that was all he needed. With his teeth gritted, he grabbed Thor's shoulder with one hand and hooked his other in the neck of his armour. Pulling with one hand and pushing hard with the other, the thunder god tipped violently in the sky.

He only just held his grip on Loki. Even if he hadn't, Loki held on tight to his brother as he jostled him in the sky – he did not want to fall.

"Stop it!" Thor yelled through the storm, fighting for control. There was nothing he could do to stop him though, one hand guiding their path and the other holding Loki up from his death. "Are you mad?!"

 _Possibly,_ Loki answered in his head, grasping harder onto Thor's cape and armour as he felt Thor's hand slacken around his throat.

Thor would never stop fighting him, Loki realised. He would never surrender. With desperation searing through his mind, Loki wrenched himself forward, pushing from Thor's shoulder armour. Practically his whole body fell down on Thor's arm holding Mjolnir, knocking them off their course.

He heard the thunder god curse, just a second before the pair of them tumbled through the sky.

 _This would not be pleasant_ , Loki thought to himself as he grappled tightly around Thor, trying to keep him from extending his arm and regaining control. He couldn't see a thing, couldn't brace for impact; all he could see were the cracks of lightning cutting though the black sky ahead. He tried to focus on that instead.

"LOKI!"

The air thudded into Loki's back as they rapidly lost altitude, crashing through the sky. He could barely breathe.

He caught a glimpse of Thor's gritted teeth just a moment before the thunder god shoved him off, kicking him back into the dark abyss. With a blink, his brother was gone.

He would be back though, Loki knew, but for a moment he just reveled in the peace of his freefall. It was like when he'd fallen from Asgard.

The hard rock cliff quickly cut off the memory though as Loki's body ground to a harsh halt. His shoulders and back grated against the stone, not even daring to imagine how far he skidded along the rock, before he finally came to an agonizing stop.

He didn't bother fighting the groan of pain from leaving his lips, feeling the back of his shoulders burn.

It quickly morphed into a laugh though, as he heard Thor gracefully land a few yards away. Typical Thor - looking out for himself and his interests, not even the slightest bit concerned about throwing everybody else under the bus.

That was why he was here, wasn't it? To stop Loki, to help himself. Some things never changed.

"Where is the Tesseract?"

He sounded just the same. His voice hadn't changed at all, just as Loki remembered it: rough, aggressive, almost threatening.

Loki just laughed on. So Thor was hoping to be the hero of the hour? Had he come to stop Loki and save Midgard? Thor was no hero, the last on Loki's list of would-be saviours. He would still watch his beloved Earth burn, just now with a front row seat.

He chuckled at the thought, knowing it only made Thor angrier. "I missed you too."

"Do I look to be in a gaming mood?!"

No, he did not sound it, Loki conceded. But did he look it? Loki had to see that for himself.

Picking his head up, he got his first proper look at his brother. His hair had grown out longer, still golden blonde as before, just in longer, untamed locks. He was wearing different armour too, baring his arms free of his usual snakeskin attire. Did he not deem Loki enough of a threat to need full protection?

The thought send a spike of irritation straight through Loki, but he forced it down. He didn't want to get himself killed. Not when he was so close.

Surely, the Avengers wouldn't let him go so easily. For Earth's greatest defenders, surely they would be able to find him, even through this storm. It was just a matter of when. Once again, he knew he had to stall for time.

Meeting his brother's fiery gaze head on, he tested his luck: "You should thank me." He gasped, pushing himself up on his elbows. "With the Bifrost gone, how much dark energy did the Alfather have to summon to conjure you here? Your precious Earth…"

Why lie? He didn't need to make up any lines for Thor; all of his bitter opinions of the thunder god were true and valid.

Mjolnir hit the ground with a thud.

Rough hands dragged Loki up to his feet, clasping at the side of his neck. In that moment, all he could see was his brother's angry crystal eyes, unable to look away. Angry – and wounded. "I thought you dead." He muttered.

Loki's heart stopped, as Thor's almost childlike innocence shone through. His brother had not always been a brute. Once his ignorance had only been something kind natured and to be loved. When they were boys, as close as brothers could be. Loki had trusted Thor with his life back then. That was the Thor he saw staring back at him now.

The breath caught in his throat. "Did you mourn?" He was a traitor of the realm, after all.

Thor's gleaming eyes shone through though. "We all did." He persisted, voice hardening. "Our father-"

 _No, that was enough_ , Loki thought, watching as the fierce loyalty to Odin washed away his boy brother from the beast in front of him. He was just Thor again, brutal and careless. Loki struck a hand up between them.

" _Your_ father." His forced out, shrugging Thor off him. "He did tell you about my true parentage, did he not?"

He felt Thor's eyes follow him as he wondered slowly, feeling the weight of his anguish settle on him once more. Thor was not his brother. He had no family. Loki was alone in the universe, and Thor's mere being here only drove that fact home harder. Thor and Odin were the reason he was alone. He would not let it stay that way though.

His eyes burned out with determination as he turned his back on Thor, walking out the stiff burn in his lower back from the impact.

"We were raised together." Thor growled from behind him. "We played together, we fought together… do you remember none of that?"

Loki remembered… but it was not with that same perspective. The heavy weight in his heart paused his steps, turning back a fraction. "I remember a shadow." He recalled. "Living in the shade of your greatness."

Until Summer came along, he hadn't minded that at all. If anything it had made life easier for Loki. He would have had the security of coming home to Summer every night. Caring about someone put something like that in perspective. It was a practical solution for Thor to ascend to the throne while he advised him from doing anything stupid from the side lines.

It had had the potential to work out best for both of them, both getting what they want.

Of course, Thor hadn't let it be.

And the memory of that ran bitter though Loki's heart. His fists clenched at his sides as his cold gaze met Thor's. "I remember what you did."

For a moment, he thought Thor might deny it, but he was glad when his blue eyes darkened as the same memories flooded back to him. Loki wasn't sure what he'd been expecting. Gloating? Pride? He was almost disappointed when the darkness stayed in Thor's eyes, sinking deep into his soul.

The defiance gleamed from the gods orbs. That, with a little bit of guilt perhaps. "So you take the world I love as recompense for the sin of my youth?" he glared, stepping forward. "No, the Earth is under my protection Loki."

 _Precisely,_ Loki thought, with a satisfied smile at how much there mere thought of it flared Thor with anger. That was exactly why he was doing this.

But where were the Avengers? He needed to get back to that ship…

He shoved past Thor bitterly, wondering with every passing second if the Avengers had truly lost him. Striding back up to the peak of the cliff again, he subtly scanned the skies.

Nothing.

"I've seen worlds you've never known about." He bragged bitterly, buying him time as he climbed the cliff. Still, the skies were empty. _Dammit._ "I have grown _Odinson_ in my exile. I have seen the true power of the Tesseract."

Where were those mortals? They would not ruin his plans. He needed to stall Thor further, still carefully watching the skies as he turned back to where they had flown from. "And when I wield it-"

"Who showed you this power?" Thor demanded harshly, following him up the cliff. "Who controls the would-be king?"

Of course, that was what Thor thought he wanted.

Loki stood on the edge of the cliff, but still he couldn't see any sign of the mortals. The frustration in his voice was all too genuine as he met Thor's gaze: "I am a king!"

Thor was close and closed the gap quickly as he grabbed Loki's arms, distracting Loki's attention from the skies as he shook him back further. "Not here!" he roared, fingers gripping hard into Loki's arm. "You give up the Tesseract, you give up this poisonous dream." For a few moments, Thor just stared at his brother, and Loki watched his eyes morph with every haggard breath he took. They were softening again, like the Thor Loki had known as a boy. Finally, Thor's hands softened too, clasping Loki warmly on the neck. "You come home…"

His crystal blue eyes gleamed his plea and for a second, Loki's heart froze in his chest. Home? The same home where Thor had assaulted the woman he loved, and Odin had banished her for being a victim. That was a home he had no desire to ever see again.

A smile stretched over his lips, amazed at Thor's audacity. Here he stood, eyes glittering as if the worst he had ever done in his life was step on a butterfly.

"You have no idea, do you?" Loki breathed, shaking his head slowly. "Does it truly escape you the severity of what you did?"

The smile slowly slipped away as the anger started to simmer in his heart, the bitter memory rising to the surface. Everything that had gone wrong, had gone wrong because of Thor. The same Thor here in front of him.

Loki's fists clenched at his sides, eyes hardening furiously. _It was all his fault!_ He watched Thor's face twist with confusion as his own darkened bitterly. "You took my home from me." He hissed, shucking Thor away from him hard. "My home is wherever _she_ is."

Thor staggered back, not even fighting Loki's blow. There it was again, Loki noted, in Thor's eyes; guilt.

It wasn't enough though, Loki thought, as Thor took a deep breath. "I know now what I did was wrong." He admitted slowly, voice deep. "I do not want this to form a rift between us. Please..." he stepped forward, eyes glittering as he offered out his hand. "Let me fix it."

Loki just shook his head. "She is not a broken toy. And what lies between you and I," he glared Thor up and down, teeth gritted, "That is beyond salvation."

A spark of defiance flittered back in Thor's gaze. "I do not believe that." The thunder god insisted, fists clenched in his determination. "If I can convince the Alfather to change his mind, bring you both home, I believe we can be brothers again-"

"We are not brothers!" Loki roared, reaching for Thor in his rage. He found the edges of the god's breastplate, feeling like his fingers would leave imprints in the metal. His raging green eyes delved deep into Thor's startled blue ones, seeing his own madness reflected back to him, his own pain. Heart aching in his chest, he knew the words he spoke were true.

Having Thor here before him, the thought to kill him crossed his mind. He had no weapons, but with his patience as on edge as it was, Loki would sure give it a good go. It was no less than Thor deserved. His fingers tightened on Thor's armour at the thought.

He only just clung on to his sanity though, pushing his brother away from him. Thor's death would bring the wrath of the Asgardian army down upon him, and Chitauri army or no Chitauri army, that was a conflict Loki was keen to avoid.

His breaths were heavy as he reined in his temper, fighting for control. For Summer's sake, he had to hold back.

But he didn't have to lie to Thor. Didn't have to protect him.

"There is no forgiveness for what you did." Loki breathed, fists trembling with the effort of holding himself back. "When you _broke_ her, and left her helpless and alone… there is no redemption from that."

Thor's eyes steeled a fraction, and his head shook. "Together, we can atone for my mistakes." He promised with a low voice, eyes starting to blaze again. "I can do right by the mortal and her child-"

Loki barked a cruel burst of laughter, feeling dark murder swirl in his heart the longer he looked at Thor. "You can't even say her name-"

" _Summer_!"

Thor's shout cut through the silence of the night and for a moment, Loki's hope of the Avengers finding him again rekindled. Perhaps they might hear the god's noise. The storm had settled into naught, so maybe, just maybe…

Loki put that aside for a moment though, as Summer's name rang out through the night and Thor's eyes blazed at him defiantly.

"I swear by the nine realms, I will do right by Summer and our child." Thor vowed solemnly in a lower, deep tone. "If you will just give me the Tesseract…"

Do right by her? What would that mean to Thor? Bring her back to Asgard where they could lock her away out of sight? Or keep her on Earth but offer her provisions to care for herself and her baby. Either way, Loki doubted that he would be allowed to be a part of the picture.

Either way, it wasn't enough.

Not that it mattered; Loki pressed his lips together as his head shook. "I don't have it." He broke softly.

In that instant, Thor's niceties were gone. A growl tore from his lips as he stepped back, hand outstretched as Mjolnir flew to his grasp.

"You need the cube to bring me home." Loki went on calmly, knowing there was nothing Thor could do to change it. He could see how that drove his brother wild. "I've sent it off, I know not where."

He had no idea where the Tesseract was. Barton had instructed one of S.H.I.E.L.D's enemy soldiers to hide it, one who hadn't needed Loki's control to keep him in line. There was no way for Loki to know where it was. There was no way for Thor to find out. It was foolproof.

From the look in Thor's eyes, he knew it too. He raised Mjolnir square to Loki's chest. "You listen well, brother." He growled. "I-"

Thor was ripped from the cliff in a flash of white light before he could finish his sentence, but Loki didn't even blink. He stared ahead at the rock face, basking in the momentary silence.

His mouth opened to say a witty comment in Thor's absence. _I'm listening,_ floated in his mind, but his lips had barely parted before the emotional toll of seeing his brother again hit him. That, and the spur of memories and truths Thor brought with him.

The breath hitched in his throat, and whatever clever words he might have been thinking of died in his throat. Suddenly, he felt drained.

His knees hit the rock with a brutal thud and a harsh breath forced its way into his lungs. With Thor gone, who was there to pretend for in that moment?

He hadn't meant to lose control of his emotions like he had, yelling at Thor so mindlessly before. But none of it had been a lie. Every hateful word and cold glare he had felt right down in his core. But the god always ripped open fresh wounds.

 _Summer…_ Loki listened to the distant fight, while memories of his mortal filled his mind, losing himself what he remembered of her ebony black hair and olive green eyes.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

The glass cylinder made Loki smile as he surveyed it from the inside; it was such a well built fortress. He couldn't help but be a little bit impressed.

And amused at their ridiculousness. They had admitted this cage was not for him – but for one of their teammates! Did he know they regarded him with such mistrust? Loki had seen the footage of the green monster on its rampage; looking around him, he wasn't sure if this would really be enough to hold him.

He was counting on it, when the time came. There would be no perfect distraction.

Raising a hand, he pressed his fingers lightly against the glass, seeing his green eyes shine back at him in the reflection.

With a blink though, it became Agent Barton.

In the back of Loki's mind, he secured the glimmer around the inside of the glass, fixing an image for whatever cameras might be watching him. He didn't want to blow it now, when they were so close.

Barton blinked submissively back at him from the glass – his consciousness must be getting weaker behind the spears influence. Still, Loki turned his attention to behind the spy. By the look of it, they had made it safely back to their underground base, Loki recognizing the familiar dark brick walls in the background. The distraction had done what it was supposed to.

The blue glow of the cube shone faintly behind Barton, tucked away behind a transparent curtain. Loki could hear Selvig barking in the background.

A satisfied smirk on his face, Loki focused on the awaiting spy. "I trust all is well?"

Where was Barton seeing him?, Loki wondered. On a monitor screen? On a mirror? Just in his own head? There was no way for Loki to know, utilizing his connection with Barton and letting his magic take care of the rest, but he was curious.

Barton nodded stiffly. "The cube is secure." He said in a voice that sounded too calm to match his tense shoulders. It took seconds though for Loki to confirm he was still under control. Perhaps Barton was fighting him still, Loki mused in his mind. There was no way the spy could win though, even with his spirit. "Selvig is stabilizing it now."

"Good." Loki grinned. The end was near. Summer would be near… "How long until it is ready?"

With the end in sight, his heart picked up a notch, excited. Summer. She made him feel alive again, even just the mere memory of her. Soon, they would be together.

"Not long." Barton affirmed. "Shall we come get you, Sir?"

With their mind connection, Barton would be able to find Loki easily when the time came, when they were ready to unleash the cube.

But at the moment, the whole ship was braced for action, braced for attack. They were waiting for something to go wrong. Even with Loki's forces, the Avengers would put up a good fight before they let him go, and even then, they would easily be able to follow him.

Unless they were distracted again. That was what Loki was counting on, to make his escape the last thing on the warrior's minds.

"Not yet." Loki sighed, fighting the twitching urge to be free.

What would set Banner off, he wondered. It was difficult to guess without knowing what kind of man he was. He was relying on the Avengers to figure it out though. Surely, with the spear in such close proximity, knowing the tricks it could play on ones consciousness, it wouldn't take much to spark something in the angry scientist.

Then the Avengers would be too busy fighting Dr Banner from destroying the ship entirely to even notice Loki's getaway.

Loki just needed to wait until the tensions rose high enough. His opportunity would come soon.

He screwed his eyes shut for a moment, and when he opened them again, he was once again staring at himself in the glass. He kept the glimmer up for a little longer though, as he stepped away from the edge, letting his fingers fall away.

He let the smile slide away from his face for a moment too. He was glad the plan was working, of that he was sure. But a part of him was just tired. Tired of the lying, tired of the killing… something inside him just wanted for it to end, longing for Summer's soothing company. It would be all worthwhile when he saw her again, he knew.

He just had to be patient for a little longer. Once he was off this cursed vessel, he could start looking for her so they could be together again.

XXX

It was late when Thor had finally sought some solitude away from his new companions, but it hadn't lasted long before Coulson had said he had something Thor would want to see. Boy had he been right!

The Helicarrier was buzzing with activity around them, but Thor had attention for only one mortal: Jane Foster. Her picture filled the computer screen and Thor scoured her every detail with his troubled gaze, remembering her. She looked the same as a year ago, just as beautiful.

"As soon as Loki took the doctor, we moved Jane Foster." Coulson explained from beside the computer, as Thor leaned forward against the table for a better look. "We've got an excellent observatory in Tromso. She was asked to consult there very suddenly yesterday. Hansom fee, private plane, very remote… she'll be safe."

Something inside Thor's chest twanged painfully, seeing Jane again after so long. It was not the same as seeing her in person though. And that would have to wait longer. Maybe a lot longer, depending on how compliant Loki might be.

Thor wasn't hopeful.

"Thank you." He sighed sadly. Reluctantly though, he tore his eyes away from the computer screen, before he just stared at Jane until the sky ship made port. "It's no accident Loki taking Erik Selvig. I dread what he plans for him once he's done. Erik is a good man…"

A good man that had been warped into partaking in schemes which would end the lives of so many, Thor thought silently in his head. And he had helped draw him into that fate. Loki may have needed someone of Erik's intelligence, but it was no coincidence that it was one of Thor's companions from his brief time on Earth. Loki was making it personal, sending Thor a message.

There was no way he would get to Jane though. Thor would not let his Jane be drawn into such evil.

He could feel her picture calling to him again, and straightened up from the table, tearing himself away. He had to stay focused, for her sake. If Loki was freed, if his plan succeeded, Jane would not have a happy place in the new world.

And all because Thor cared for her. Loki was going to make this as painful as possible for the thunder god, and Thor was acutely aware of that fact.

"He talks about you a lot." Coulson went on casually, wandering beside the god. He wrenched Thor from his disturbing thoughts. "You changed his life. You changed everything around here."

He could feel the man's admiring eyes on him, but Thor kept his gaze averted, knowing he didn't deserve it. "They were better as they were." He insisted quickly, striding slowly through the strange machinery on the ships deck.

He couldn't shake the guilt that weighed down on him. It may be Loki fighting to ruin Earth, but Thor knew it was him who had set him on this destructive path. What he did those few years ago, that tore his brother apart beyond repair. If he had only stopped himself, perhaps this whole chaos might have been avoided. Thor had caused this. "We pretend on Asgard that we're more advanced," he breathed wistfully as he remembered. "But we come here battling like Bilgesnipe."

"Like what?"

He wasn't in the mood for all these questions, not even Coulson's apparent reassurance. He didn't know who he was talking to – none of them did.

Still, he answered Coulson's puzzled look, but it couldn't distract him from what was on his mind. This was all his fault, dating back to that one primal crime he had committed back on Asgard.

And in the end, it hadn't even meant anything. Thor barely remembered doing it, it had ended up being so insignificant to him. It had been months down the line before he had realized his assault had fathered a child, but before that he had all but forgotten about the incident.

It made Thor sick to admit it. He had done something so destructive and cruel, and he couldn't even remember it. What kind of person did that?

He wondered over to the window and stared out into the darkness beyond the ship. What was beyond the darkness he wondered? Sea? Land? Who lived right beneath him? Would they survive the week, their fate resting on the actions of some distant god they probably had never even heard of?

His heart weighed heavily in his chest. "When I first came to Earth Loki's rage followed me here and your people paid the price. And now again." He thought aloud to himself, staring out into the abyss. "In my youth I courted war…"

His actions brought this, as it had before. This time was no different. Only instead of trying to destroy Thor, Loki was trying to destroy everything around him, everything he cared about.

And Thor understood why. He understood exactly why. He only wished it hadn't taken him so long to come to his senses.

"War hasn't started yet." A voice from the side wrenched Thor from his thoughts and he turned to find the director, stood on the metal platform above him. Thor quickly turned his gaze back to the night sky. "You think you could make Loki tell us where the Tesseract is?"

The last thing Thor was in the mood for was the director, but he knew he only had a job to do. A world to worry about.

Still, he turned his eyes back to the sky outside, lingering on the light grey clouds his storm had left behind. "I do not know." He admitted darkly. "Loki's mind is far afield. It's not just power he craves, it's vengeance… upon me." _For what I did_ , he added to himself in his head. "There's no pain would prize his need from him."

Loki was more than just driven – he was consumed with his need to make things right in his mind. With all the pain he had suffered, Thor truly wasn't sure if there was anything that could ease that destructive fury.

He just prayed these people didn't pry too deep, didn't ask too many questions. What if Loki told them why he was doing this? What if he told them what Thor had done to bring this upon their world? He couldn't imagine that would go down well with his new 'teammates'. He could barely even stand to think about it himself…

"A lot of guys think that." The director said calmly, moving down the steps a little, closer to Thor's level. "Until the pain starts."

The heavy sound of his steps snatched Thor's attention from his thoughts again, and a glance to the side told him the director was too close to be ignored now, just a few steps above him. Still, he was far from pleased about being forced to meet the director's eye. He made that clear in his deep, warning tone: "What are you asking me to do?"

He could sense a testing request in the director's voice, but he couldn't quite pinpoint exactly what he wanted. Naturally, the god was wary; despite what Loki had done, so far these people seemed to forget that he was still Thor's brother. No act of evil could undo that truth. Although to Loki, Thor had already severed that bond by his own actions.

Director Fury met the god's gaze head on. "I'm asking what are you prepared to do."

Something about that rang alarm bells in Thor's mind. "Loki is a prisoner." He pressed defensively.

"Then why do I feel like he's the only one on this boat that wants to be here?"

It was impressive how bold and intimidating the Director's one eye could be, holding Thor's defiant gaze effortlessly, as if he were not staring down an Asgardian prince. The man was brave, Thor had to give him that.

But Loki? Was he right? Thor knew Loki – he didn't go down without a fight, and when he did, he did not want to be left face the shame of defeat; what happened on the Bifrost was proof enough of that. He would rather risk death than face the consequences of his actions. And that had been battling a god.

This time, it had been mere mortals to fight him. There was no way Loki would survive being blasted across the universe, only to be bested by mortals. It didn't make sense. Loki was stronger than that.

So why then, as the director had pointed out and the Captain before him, had Loki made it so easy?

Loki was up to something.

What could he do though? There was no way Loki would ever divulge his plan, least of all to Thor. And despite what the Director said, Thor didn't think time or interrogation would diminish Loki's need for revenge.

"Loki will not listen to reason." He muttered bitterly, tearing his eyes away from Fury's as his mind raced for a solution.

What would Loki open up to? Frigga perhaps. But she was worlds away and with the Tesseract out of reach, Thor had no way to go back to Asgard to fetch her. He certainly wouldn't talk to Thor. If anything, seeing Thor would only make things worse. But aside from Thor, there was nobody Loki might know, let alone trust.

Suddenly, the god's eyes widened a fraction as he remembered that was not entirely true, though he was not thrilled to admit it. "There is only one person Loki will listen to."

The god could feel his heartbeat rise a notch just thinking about her, let alone bringing her here, seeing her again after what he had done to her. But he had no choice. His pride or his world? Jane could pay the price for him defending his reputation. What would his pride be worth then?

Sucking in a deep breath, he knew he didn't really have a choice. "We need to find Summer Martins."

XXX

The excitement bubbled in Summer's heart as she packed, knowing that in less than twenty four hours, she would be on a flight to Albuquerque, New Mexico. A long flight, that she was sure would be torture to endure, especially with a young child in tow.

But it would be the start of their new lives. They would no longer be the abandoned victims of Thor's crimes.

They didn't have much to pack: just a few clothes, hair ties, a little make up, baby stuff for Ewin – half of which was in a back pack for the hand luggage on the flight. The rest she was shoving in a small, cheap suitcase. It was enough.

Ewin sat quietly in the corner, watching her with gleeful eyes. He didn't even know what was happening, Summer knew, glimpsing him sucking his thumb out of the corner of her eye. He only did that when he was nervous. He must be sensing how she was feeling; excited, but anxious herself. All the same, he seemed happy.

Despite her spirits, she couldn't help be a bit nervous about what they were doing. There were so many 'what ifs' that could end her plans before they start. What if the technology she was hoping for was simply years off existing instead of just weeks or months? What if it was plain impossible? What if Dr Foster refused to help her?

The one that weighed most on her mind sent shivers of fear down her spine: what if Thor was there?

She hadn't seen anything more of him on Facebook or the news, but who was to say he wasn't still around? What would she do if he was there? Surely, he would not help her…

Would she even want his help? Or would she be running for the hills as soon as she saw the god again?

Her hands stilled as the thoughts ran through her head, remembering what she did of the thunder god - tall, strong, and vengeful. He had loathed her back when she had been innocent and naïve, a bumbling fool. Now she was different. Now she was stronger. Surely, he would have even more reason to get rid of her now she was more defiant.

His burning blue gaze seared in her mind, threatening her across the realms. Her hand fisted in the black shirt she held, fighting the fear that swelled in her heart.

She would not stay at bay though, she told herself, feeling her spirit harden with resolve. She would not let him win.

She needed to find Loki, for both her and Ewin. Thor be damned.

"We're going on an adventure, Ewin." She said, shaking herself out of her head. She met her son's eager gaze with a stiff smile.

He sat with his back against the peeling wall, waiting patiently for his mother to come to him when she was done. He was a good boy. She hoped Loki would like him.

How would he feel about being with her while she had his brother's child? It was something that haunted the back of her mind. It would never be easy for him, especially with how much Ewin looked like his father. His blonde hair and blue eyes made it impossible to miss.

But Loki knew bearing Thor's child hadn't been her choice. He couldn't blame her for something that wasn't her fault. He had already come back to her once, hadn't he? He had known she had a baby then.

She had no reason to believe he would reject her now.

If he did though, she knew her choice would be easy: she could never leave Ewin behind.

But if Loki asked her to make that choice, then he wasn't the man she thought he was.

She would cross that bridge when she came to it though. She may be flying to America, but that wasn't to Loki yet. She had hope, but she didn't know when she would still him.

It was progress though. To get to Loki, she needed Jane Foster. And to get to Jane Foster, Summer needed to be in New Mexico.

Hope.

She clung to that desperately, for both her sake and that of her son.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

It hadn't taken long for S.H.I.E.L.D to find a location. Stark had been able to find her records in minutes, digging out her home address, work placements – everything. They had found her effortlessly.

There was hardly any reason for her to hide in her own world though, Thor reasoned. And she had been left here with nothing – how would she have hidden? Still from what he had learned of her fate, he couldn't help be impressed by her resilience.

They had even had a picture of her. Seeing her again had made the god feel sick. He could only imagine how the real thing might make him feel.

Still, the thoughts were far from his mind, whipped away in the wind as he flew powerfully through the changing skies, the darkness of night slowly morphing into pale daylight. Mjolnir carried him swiftly over the glittering ocean as morning crept over Earth.

The god couldn't hear anything but the rushing air surging past him, eyes fixed ahead as land came into view.

"Alright, big guy." Stark's voice muttered in his ear through an ear piece. The coast line disappeared beneath him. "Start the drop."

With the tech genius guiding him, Thor angled Mjolnir downwards slightly, slowing his speed significantly. S.H.I.E.L.D had no idea he was here. They were probably only just noticing he was gone.

If they had had their way, Summer would have been apprehended, and flown over to the Helicarrier.

Thor was much faster.

Heeling his speed, he could make out every rooftop, every street beneath him. One of them should have Summer inside.

"Drop!"

The second he heard that word in his head, the god plummeted Mjolnir downwards, sending him hurtling to the ground. Only at the last second did he pull up, softening the landing as he dropped from his feet down to a kneel on the hard pavement.

For a moment, he just caught his breath, letting the feeling return to his stiff, yet numb limbs. As he rose back to his feet, he swallowed a hard lump in his throat.

Stark was barking instructions in his head and his body numbly followed, but his mind was worlds away. With every step, he was getting closer to _her_ ; the biggest regret of his life. This was going to be far from easy. There was no way she would want to go anywhere with him.

But he had no choice. She was the only one who could end Loki's rampage. She was what he wanted. If Thor wanted peace, he needed to get her to Loki before it was too late.

All too soon, Stark guided him to a single door and the god looked up and down it warily. He wasn't sure what he had been expecting, but it looked even plainer than he had imagined. For all the work Summer did, and this was all she could muster?

The god's heart was hammering in his chest, but he knew there was no time to waste. His fist pounded on the door before another thought could cross his mind.

The seconds ticked by painfully slowly and his fist clenched hard around Mjolnir as he waited.

 _For Loki_ , he reminded himself as his fist beat against the door again, fighting down the uneasy feeling in his gut. Whatever was on the other side of that door was going to be hard to face.

At least, he thought it would be – until a wavy haired teenage boy opened the door to him.

For a split second, the god frowned; this was not what he had been expecting. But he allowed himself a brief moment of relief at his dreaded moment being delayed, even if only for a little bit.

He had his mission though, he reminded himself, steeling his emotions. His sharp blue eyes glared at the confused boy in front of him. "Summer Martins." He barked harshly, stepping forward. Was she somewhere else in the house?

"The hell…" slipped numbly from the teenager's lips, flicking a stray strand of hair from out of his frowning eyes. They were thick with suspicion. "Who wants to know?" he asked warily.

Thor didn't blame him, watching the boy scour his gaze defensively up and down his form, drinking in the cape and armour… obviously not the usual kind of visitor for this realm. Had she told them about him? Was that why the boy was nervous? He might recognize him.

Not that it mattered if he did. What would he do? Fight him? Hold him off? Hardly. The boy may be smart not to trust him, but he was small and skinny. He didn't stand a chance.

And Thor didn't have the time to negotiate with him. Every passing second, S.H.I.E.L.D could be doing god knows what to try and help Loki, but all it would do would push him further over the edge. Summer was Loki's only hope for redemption. Without this, he would destroy the world in his search for her.

But only if this boy would hand her over. The hard glaze in his eyes betrayed that he recognized the name. He was defending her.

There was no time for that. Thor was not going to sacrifice his brother for this mortal.

He took another menacing step forward, over the doorstep. The boy's eyes widened instantly as he staggered back inside the house, all manner of his defensiveness dropping in a heartbeat. It was replaced with crippling fear as he was chased down his own hallway by the god.

"The God of Thunder," Thor roared, patience snapping. He raised Mjolnir high over his head as the teenager fell back over himself, still crawling back on his elbows to get away though. "With the wrath of the nine realms and might of Mjolnir, should you continue to shield her from me-"

Stark's voice exploded in his head. "Easy, big guy-"

"Whoa, hey!" The boy shot his arms up defensively, palms up to the god peacefully. "She's not here!" he yelled in a panic. "She's gone!"

Thor's heart skipped a beat as he heard that, but he didn't move. "Gone where?"

"T-the airport."

Thor frowned slightly. "Where is that?" He didn't even know what that was.

"Birmingham."

It meant nothing to him. "Stark?"

"Hold up, I'm on it." barked quickly in the god's ear from the Helicarrier. Stark found it quickly though: "Jeez, that's nowhere near. With you in the air though and me on the coms, we can make it. Just look for the planes."

Thor's frown deepened. "What are planes?"

She wasn't here. And more time hunting her down in a world he didn't understand would only waste more time. Even with Tony's direction, if he made a wrong move or didn't understand something, that was vital time that could change Loki's fate.

S.H.I.E.L.D aside, who knew what Loki was planning. He'd let himself be taken in; he obviously had a plan. He had a really bad feeling that SHIELD had no idea what they were dealing with. Whatever Loki's plan was, it would devastate them in one way or another. Thor wouldn't underestimate his brother again. Any kind of delay could be the end.

He couldn't afford to be wrong. His eyes fell down to the boy, lowering the hammer. "You!" Leaning down, he grabbed the boy by the collar and dragged him to his feet. "Take me there."

The teenager staggered a little as Thor roughly let him go, but just stared bluntly at the god. "What? Like I have a car."

"Someone must own those vehicles outside." Thor reasoned, recognizing the transport boxes from his last visit to Earth. He had up close and personal experience with them.

"Yeah, Ant has one, but-"

Thor didn't give him a chance to finish, grabbing him by the throat. "Where is he?"

Heavy footfalls to his left distracted the god and he glanced up the stairs to a weary figure stood at the top. By the wild mess of black hair, he looked like he'd just woken up. "Danny, what the hell…"

The stranger peeled open his sleepy eyes, but they instantly sharpened as they drank in Thor holding his housemate by the neck.

Thor didn't move. "Ant?"

The man's anxious eyes just darted between his friend and Thor. "Err…"

It was all the confirmation that Thor needed.

XXX

Just over an hour later, Ant's car pulled up into the Short Stay Parking area of Birmingham airport and the god of thunder leapt out without a word. Behind him, the car beeped in annoyance. Right now, there was no time for thanks and courtesy.

He ran towards the large building, ignoring the stares of the people around him and dipped into the first door he saw. This placed was bigger than he had imagined.

Ant had told him that Summers flight would be at 12am, and it had just passed 9 when he had left the car. It sounded like he had loads of time, but he had been warned it took a few hours to go through the checks to the flight. She would need to go to Check In, Ant had told him, then Security, then she would be boarding the flight.

The god's eyes scoured around the sea of mortals, trying to remember what Summer might look like. Of all things, he hadn't thought to check if she looked any different.

He wracked his brain for what he remembered about her. His carelessness in his youth hadn't bothered to care about Summer, let alone commit her to memory. All he remembered was that she was pale and had long dark hair. She had always been slim, but Thor wouldn't be surprised if that had turned into thinness after her hardship. He had no idea what she might be wearing though. He didn't have much to go on.

Thor's steps slowed as his eyes travelled around the terminal, ignoring the people stopping and staring around him.

He had no time for them. If he couldn't find Summer before the plane left, he would have to wait until she had landed, or risk the lives of everybody aboard to claim her in the air. He couldn't do that. It couldn't be done.

He had to catch her before she flew.

He didn't know where he was. Where would she be in this large place? Thor didn't know what the hell he was doing as he started to slowly walk through the terminal, carving a path though the travelers.

His eyes glimpsed a man walking towards him instead of away like the rest, dressed with a thick black vest over his white shirt and black cap with a checkered band on his head. From the large gun in his hand and the authoritative expression on his face, he guessed the man was one of the local peacekeepers.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Thor made a bee line for the gentleman. "Good sir," he said deeply as he approached the police officer, slowing his pace and flashing his palms peacefully.

The policeman's brow furrowed a touch and his fingers lifted from his weapon in an indication that Thor was close enough, eyes watching the god's every move closely.

Thor stopped respectfully. "I am trying to find somebody." he went on, "A young woman with a child. The child will be but a year old and the woman is about yea high," his hand cut through the air around the height he remembered Summer to be, "Black hair and pale skin. There is not much else I recall of her appearance, but her name is Summer Martins, and it is of the utmost urgency that I find her."

If this man was with the security team here, surely he would be able to help Thor find someone in the crowds. If anybody would have the resources, it would be him.

The man's eyes didn't waver though, blinking calmly. For a moment, Thor wondered if he had heard him.

"Sir, I'm afraid you are in breach of airport security." The man said in a firm voice. "I'm going have to ask you to remove the weapon from the premises calmly and immediately."

Thor's brow furrowed. _Weapon_? – his eyes glanced down to the hammer in his hand; Mjolnir. They considered him a threat? A part of him was impressed, but another part simply huffed impatiently. He didn't have time for this. Leaving Mjolnir was hardly an issue if none could lift it, but it wasted precious time.

The god didn't move an inch, grip tightening a fraction around Mjolnir. "I need to find this woman _now_." He emphasized, calmly. "The fate of your world depends on it."

Starting a fight with the local law enforcement wasn't exactly how he had wanted to proceed, but as he noticed more uniformed men carving through the crowd, he started to wonder if that was what it was going to come to. He didn't have the time to waste. He needed to find Summer now.

The police officer gave a tiny nod, raising his gun just a fraction. "We can discuss that back at the station." He said a little sterner then before. "If you just put the hammer down, P.C Palmer, here," nodding to the gentleman coming up to his left side, "Can give you a lift. We'll just have a few questions."

Impatience was starting to win, Thor thought as he stared at the two policemen in front of him, noting another backing the crowd away from them. He could sense at least two more behind him.

Heart thudding hard, Thor bit down the battle instincts rising to the surface. Mjolnir hit the ground with a metallic thud.

"I have no quarrel with your land or your people." Thor murmured quietly to the first policeman, meeting his gaze as steadily as he could muster. "But I have no more time to waste."

Casting his gaze back out to the crowd of people – all faces turned to him – he scoured them once more for Summer. Young, pale, black hair. He scanned for those features, but few made a match and a single glance at those who did confirmed that they were not Summer.

He needed to look further afield. The guns clicked into place as soon as he took a step and in the back of his mind he heard the men yelling. He paid them no heed though, stepping forward with slow, calm steps as he searched for more faces. The travelers parted like the Red Sea, doing as they were told as the police told them to get back.

A few more seconds, and the first scream sounded.

Gunshots thundered through the terminal and the god paused as they pummeled into the ground before his feet, halting his path.

The first police officer ran ahead of him as the god paused in his tracks, gun aimed squarely at Thor's chest. "Don't move!" he shouted, though he still seemed calm. "Who are you?"

Again, Thor peacefully showed his palms. "I am Thor, of Asgard." He said quietly. If Summer was nearby, he was certain he would not be someone she wanted to see. He had wanted to find her quietly in case she ran, but he might be too late now. Still, he wasn't going to give himself away completely. "I am working with S.H.I.E.L.D to safeguard your realm from further peril."

"S.H.I.E.L.D," P.C Palmer finally piped up, glancing to his superior, "Sir, they were in Stuttgart."

Light danced in his eyes with recognition and Thor noted the way the officer's hands loosened slightly on the gun. Stuttgart had been where Loki had attacked, Thor remembered from his debrief.

The older officer still looked wary, though Thor could see he recognized the name S.H.I.E.L.D as well.

The terminal was buzzing with noise, and Thor couldn't help but wonder if Summer was already long gone thanks to the officers loud tip off. How could she miss what was happening? If the police hadn't ferried her from the building already, then surely she had to be fleeing of her own accord once she knew he was there. And how could she not know after all this commotion?

The god's heart sank bitterly. How was he going to find her if he lost her now?

"I found her."

Tony's words barked calmly in Thor's ear, but he was anything but calm when he heard them. Eyes lifting beyond the officers, he scanned the very bare terminal as if she might suddenly come into eye view. "Where?"

Heart thudding to life, Thor felt his senses thrive; his ears pricked to hear her voice, his eyes scoured for a woman and child, his knees braced to run to wherever Stark led him. Around him though, the guns clicked in warning. He barely heard them.

"A coach outside." Tony told him through the earpiece. "S.H.I.E.L.D's tech picked her up through a security camera. I've got eyes on her now."

 _Outside_ – Thor turned back to the doors he'd come through. He didn't hesitate as he turned and strode away from the officers, fixed on getting back outside to find that coach. The shots sounded miles away as they thudded into the floor around him, bouncing harmlessly off his armour as if they were throwing pebbles at him. There was nothing they could do to stop him.

"It's the 777 coach." Stark fed him, "She's just got off. Hey, it looks like she's got a kid with he-"

Thor plucked the technology from his ear and crushed it in his grip, tossing it over his shoulder. He did not need to be reminded of the child, he thought to himself bitterly.

He didn't break his stride as he pushed through the doors and back out into the pale morning sunshine, the metal moaning in protest at his force. Outside was just as chaotic as the inside had been.

Three large vehicles were curbed along the side of the airport, people filing out endlessly and all staring around in confusion. As soon as they heard the shots through the open door though, all hell broke loose. Thor watched everybody duck low at the shots, throwing their arms protectively over their heads as they started to run in any direction that was clear.

He kept his eyes higher than that though – on the coaches and the orange numbers displayed just above their back windows. He quickly found 777 on the second coach.

The shots faded away a the police officers followed him out, right into the herd of civilians, but Thor was already cutting a path through to where he needed to be. The people from the second coach were still catching on to the panic, no where to go until the people from the first and third coach got out of the way.

The god scoured every face religiously, searching every mortal for Summer's characteristics.

His heart stopped when he finally found her, freezing in his tracks for a moment as he made sure. She was crouched low with her back against the coach, clutching a tiny child close to her chest. Her wide, olive green eyes stared around in confusion at what was unfolding around her.

Then they turned his way, and Thor could practically hear her horrified gasp as her gaze locked with his.

In a blink, she was gone.

The god's eyes followed her as she scrambled to get away through the crowd, her arm beating at people to get them out of her way. With the child to support though, she was severely restricted.

Thor stepped forward and carved a path through the crowd effortlessly, though the closer he got the more they all ran – Summer along with them.

As she finally broke ahead of the crowd, ducking behind the coach, Thor leapt into a run. In a matter of strides, he crossed the length of the coach, swinging around the vehicle behind Summer. She was running as fast as she could across the road, struggling with the child in her arms and backpack bouncing on her back.

Her eyes glanced fearfully over her shoulder as she watched Thor easily close the gap, knowing there was nothing she could do to stop it.

She couldn't outrun him.

The realization hit her like a ton of bricks, knocking the air out of her sickeningly. She turned round and slowed, staggering back as she watched her nightmare catch up to her at last. As he reached out to touch her though, her panic flared.

"No!" she screamed uncontrollably, shocking herself at how primal and brutal her voice was. She sounded like a cornered animal.

It obviously surprised the god too. He skidded to a stop with his hand outstretched, hovering still in the air. His bright blue eyes pierced right through her, as he slowly lowered his arm.

Her eyes flittered over him, feeling the bile starting fight its way up her throat. She only just held it back. He looked exactly the same as she remembered him, all thunderous, powerful fury and strength stood before her. His hair was longer and he had shed some of his armour, but he was just as intimidating as Summer remembered him to be.

But something about him was different, she suddenly noticed as she met his gaze again. He had _listened_ to her.

She could hear her hear thumping wildly in her chest as she watched Thor _keep his distance_ , waiting on her next move. Why wasn't he just striding forward and taking her kicking and screaming like he had done before?

Her arm tightened around Ewin, her boy clinging to her as he buried his face in her jacket. She was amazed he wasn't crying.

She didn't miss the way the god gulped as his eyes lowered to the boy; he had to know that was his son, even if the babies eyes were turned away and a bobble hat hid his unmistakable blonde hair. His gaze had steeled a fraction as it finally lifted back to her face.

"Summer," his voice was low and serious; just hearing it again gave Summer chills. "You need to come with me."

His eye burned intensely, but the god didn't move, keeping his distance. He could see it in her face – as soon as he moved, she would be running again. He couldn't drag her across the skies and oceans. The fastest way to get her to Loki was if she came with him willingly. Thor knew it was a tall order to ask of her.

Summer's gaze flittered up and down him, glittering with fear. "H-how did you find me?"

Her voice trembled, but it was exactly the same as Thor remembered. He could see the effects of her hardship across the rest of her though, now she was finally stood still in front of him. Dark circles hung under her eyes and her face looked thinner than he remembered – all of her looked thinner than he remembered, looking at her very slim arms and legs. Her hair had grown out, pulled back into a long ponytail high on the back of her head.

Those olive green eyes still burned with her determination though. She wouldn't have survived so long on her own without that determination, Thor knew.

And the child… his child… she had kept the baby with her. That spoke volumes to Thor.

It gave him hope that she would listen to him.

"That doesn't matter." He dismissed her question. He needed to get right to the point: "Loki is in danger."

The change in Summer's demeanor was instant. She blinked and her eyes transformed, no longer bright with fear, but fierce with resolve. The god was impressed; despite all this time, Loki obviously still meant the world to her. Every second that passed, he could see her growing stronger right in front of him.

Still, she kept her distance though. "Where is he?" she demanded firmly, though he could still hear the light squeak in her voice to betray her fear. "Is he hurt?"

Thor's thoughts flashed back to Loki, safe and content in his cell. As Fury had said - too content. Not a scratch on him from his 'fight' with their soldier. "No," he murmured, wrenching himself from his thoughts, meeting Summer squarely in the eye. "Though he is doing a great deal of harm to the people of your realm. And intends to do far worse."

Instantly, he could see the guard in her eyes go up defensively, her head shaking lightly. "No," shuddered from her lips as she backed away a step. "Loki wouldn't hurt anyone…what did you do to him?"

The words left her in a horrified whisper as she clutched the baby tighter to her chest, and Thor could see the urge to run flashing in her eyes. He bared his palms peacefully. "I'm trying to save him." He insisted gently, "But I fear Loki is beyond reason unless reason comes from you."

He watched Summer frown, torn. She had no way of knowing what he said was true. Why should she believe him?

But risking Loki… was that a risk worth taking if what he said was true?

Still shaking her head, Summer gasped in a harsh breath. "I don't understand." She gasped, glittering eyes blinking fast.

Suddenly, she looked so fragile to Thor, so vulnerable. How could so much rest on such a tiny person? The god sighed heavily. "People have died." His eyes linked with hers and he tried to implore her with his gaze, knowing she was his only hope. "More will die, unless you come with me. There is no one else he will listen to, save you-"

"Just stop!" Summer suddenly shouted, tears glittering in her pained orbs. "Just stop it! Loki is not a murderer!" Her spare hand raked harshly through her hair as she sucked in a harsh breath, rolling her eyes around aimlessly for a moment. "I don't know what the hell you want with me," she finally went on in a softer voice. "But please, just leave me alone. I just want to see him."

She thought he was here to take her away? Was that what she thought? Thor's brow furrowed as he studied her, trying to work her out.

But then he remembered – he didn't have time to waste. Loki needed to see Summer. Impatience started to grate at the god's nerves as he stepped forward. "Look," he near growled, "Loki is trying to start a war to find you again." The god said bluntly, refusing to back down from Summer's gaze as he towered above her. "Your world's rulers have him in captivity, but I believe something is amiss and you are the only one who can talk Loki out of this madness."

She leaned back away from him, but refused to move, her watery eyes glaring at him. "I'm not going _anywhere_ with you-"

"If you do not come with me, then Loki will die." The god hissed brutally, hand reaching out to grasp Summer's upper arm before he could stop himself. "At the very least, my father will never let him see the light of day again. Is that what you want?"

Her eyes burned with bitter resentment up at him, but he could see their conflict. She wanted to help Loki – but she didn't trust him.

Everything about her was tense under his grip, but he knew she couldn't fight him off, not with a child in her arms. Her quick glance down at her baby betrayed her. It took everything in him to keep his eyes off the child.

She didn't fight him though as she defiantly met his gaze, gulping hard. "You must be truly desperate to come to me for help." She muttered through clenched teeth.

Thor tore his eyes away, staring up aimlessly at the sky as he sucked in a tense breath. _You have no idea_ , he breathed silently in his head. His spare hand reached out and he heard the smashing glass as Mjolnir flew to him, crashing through the airport.

He could feel Summer flinch under his grip at the noise, fighting to duck, but he held fast on her arm, keeping her upright as he caught his hammer effortlessly. He let her go for a moment, only to wrap his arm around her waist, tugging her and the baby close against him. He kept his eyes to the sky as she tensed hard, swirling Mjolnir in his hand.

"Hold on to him." The god muttered under his breath, a second before he threw Mjolnir in the air, soaring them away from the airport.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

"No…no, th-this can't be him." Summer breathed, hand hovering over her mouth in shock. "This can't be Loki."

She sat in the middle of a plain conference room at a long oval table, watching the screen on the tablet she had been given, with Ewin perched quietly on her lap. It was some kind of security camera footage, gazing down on a large circular glass cell with one single prisoner inside.

Loki.

At least, she had thought it was Loki.

Watching the live feed of his interrogation with one of S.H.I.E.L.D's spies, Summer wasn't so sure anymore.

Behind her stood Thor, watching the feed alongside her with troubled eyes, arms folded tensely across his chest. Maria Hill filled the doorway with her hands tucked calmly behind her back. She watched on with unreadable eyes.

"He's been under constant surveillance since he got here." Hill told them bluntly. "He's not said a word about where the Tesseract is."

Summer barely heard her though, eyes locked on the screen with her heart thudding in her chest. She didn't care about any plan or Tesseract – she cared about Loki.

The blood was pumping in her head, a combination of stress and the large headache her unheralded flight had given her, no doubt. Thinking hurt. Feeling hurt worse though, her heart aching beyond recognition in her chest. Looking at Loki - or whatever it was that looked like him – she felt like she was having a silent heart attack.

Easing back in her chair, Summer gave into her mindless shock for a moment, letting the pain just wash over her. Her world had just come plummeting down.

Again.

It was all happening again.

In a way, he looked the same, and in another way he looked different. He was still tall and elegant, but stood with a different presence to before, his calm regality now traded in for an intimidating arrogance. The kind that Thor had once swaggered with back in Asgard. It was a bitter resemblance. His hair had grown out longer, but he still wore similar clothes to what she remembered.

His smile was the worst bit though, that really brought the sickening lump to her throat. Gone was the soft, comforting smile she knew and loved. Now his lips curved in a cold, cruel grin.

Her spare arm hugged Ewin tightly to her middle and she dragged in a shaky breath.

This was all wrong.

She had imagined a long flight, stepping out into hot New Mexican desert, while she worked with a scientist to maybe find a way back to Loki in a few months. Instead, Thor had grabbed her at the airport, flown her halfway across the world in less than an hour, and she was watching the love of her life frighten her more than her worst nightmares.

Her hair was still sticking out of her ponytail from the inhumanly fast flight through the air and she hadn't had much time to pull herself together before she had been whisked away to be debriefed. Amazingly, Ewin had barely cried.

When he had settled down though, he hadn't been able to take his eyes off Thor. The boy must be so confused by him, Summer thought, almost like he was seeing himself.

Whatever Thor had said at the airport, she still didn't trust him. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end at having her back to him, but she knew he wouldn't do anything. He had solicited her help – what good would it do him to hurt her? He hadn't given any indication that he wanted anything from her other than to convince Loki.

Of what though? She was still so confused, everything changing plan so quickly. What exactly was Loki planning?

"Without the Tesseract, we have no hope of stopping Loki's plans." Thor muttered bitterly behind her, Summer able to feel his piercing gaze through her body.

He felt the same pull that Ewin did, Summer realized, noting how Thor's gaze burned not through the back of her head, but through her torso – right where Ewin sat on the other side of her body. She hugged her baby closer.

He hadn't asked about him yet, hadn't tried to see him. If anything, he had been avoiding him. Something was wrong with Thor. First, he listened to her protest at the airport, and now he keeps a distance? This was not the Thor she knew.

The uncertainty only served to unnerve her more though, rather than reassure her.

"Loki's plans?" she gasped, unable to tear her eyes off the screen in her hand. "What is he planning?" The answer was imperative, but she knew in her heart she didn't want to hear it.

The silence said it all.

Until a bang from the screen caught Summer's attention again, watching Loki slam a fist into the glass.

"I'm not going to touch Barton." She watched Loki hiss through the screen at the red headed spy, an inhuman look in his eyes. "Not until I make him kill you. Slowly. Intimately. In every way he knows you fear. And then he'll wake just long enough to see his good work, and when he screams I'll split his skull."

Summer hadn't realized she'd been holding her breath until it made a bit for freedom, gasping from her uncontrollably. As the red headed spy tore herself away from Loki on the screen, Summer just wished she could do the same.

Her wish was half granted when her eyes started to fill with tears and the vision before her blurred beyond recognition.

"This is my bargain, you mewling quim."

 _It wasn't him_ , she told herself in her head, his cruel words still echoing in her mind. Her Loki could never say things like that.

Her hand instinctively rose to cover Ewin's ear, holding his other against her chest, as if he might understand what Loki was saying. Even if he didn't recognize the words, she didn't want him to remember the voice. She didn't want this to be his first impression of Loki.

What was happening? Loki was not like that. What had happened to him to turn him so cruel?

"I can't, I…" screwing her wet eyes shut, Summer gulped hard. She set the tablet face down on the table top.

Her dream was crumbling right before her eyes, her hope of a future with Loki disintegrating. What had happened? Loki wasn't just cruel, but _murderous_. Even Thor with all his faults wouldn't kill for fun – or else he would have just killed her in his spite! But Loki was speaking about killing with such a passion that it was truly frightening.

Was someone like that capable of love? Maybe he had forgotten her, she wondered as she turned around in her seat, cradling her child to her chest.

Her head shook lightly from side to side, unable to accept what she had seen, what she had heard. "I don't understand…"

Didn't he want her anymore? How could he want her and want to kill people? From what she had been told, Loki _had_ killed people already! How could he do such horrible things and want to come back to her at the end of his day?

The thought made Summer's stomach churn and she doubled over suddenly, hands easing Ewin from her lap onto the floor. He sat back against the table leg quietly with his thumb in his mouth as he watched his mother force out measured breaths through clenched teeth, rocking back and forth. Finally, her head fell forward into her hands.

"We need you to talk to him."

Maria Hill's words cut right through Summer, and she shot her eyes up, frowning with disbelief at the spy.

"You're kidding, right?" she gasped, eyes glittering with unshed tears. "I can't talk to him. Not like that. I mean…" her eyes glanced back to the folded over tablet, still hearing quiet voices. "He wants to kill people."

"Loki would never harm you."

The monitor was forgotten in a heartbeat as Summer snapped her gaze sharply to Thor, watching his own troubled eyes stare distantly at the table top. They were focused though, serious – just as serious as the deep baritone of his voice.

For a moment, the god didn't move. When he blinked himself back into the room though, he could feel Summer's eyes on him.

He didn't feel able to meet them though.

He kept on staring at the fascinating table edge. "Loki has cast himself from Asgard and consorted with the demons of the galaxy for your sake." Thor went on quietly. "He would never harm you."

He knew this wasn't what Summer wanted to hear – after all, to her Loki was perfect. At least, her memory of him had been. Loki was her savior, rescuing her from the lake and granting her safe haven in Asgard from her hell back on Earth. Word by word, Thor was crumbling her wonderful memory of him with the evils of their reality.

But for all the suspicions and questions, of one thing Thor was certain: Loki had never once stopped loving Summer.

Finally, his eyes flickered up from the table – to Agent Hill. "May we have a moment alone please?"

He could see the hesitation in her eyes, but after a second, she gave a brief nod. "Sure." No doubt, they would have cameras in here watching their every move whether she was here or not. Her eyes lingered on Summer before she left though. "I can take him somewhere safe on board, if you want? This isn't really the best place for a baby."

"The best place for my son is with me." Summer rejected quietly without missing a beat, gaze steeling in a heartbeat through her tears.

Thor couldn't help but admire her for that.

Still, he didn't move, didn't say anything until Maria Hill had quietly closed the door behind her.

A sigh breathed from his lips. His body feeling heavier than he remembered, Thor pushed himself lightly away from the wall and wandered around the table, Summer not once taking her eyes away from him. When he was on the other side of the table, facing her clearly, he leaned forward and braced his palms on the surface.

"I know that under different circumstances we would never speak to each other again." He mumbled quietly, forcing his eyes to meet her gaze at last. It was emotional warning and fury that met him in those olive green depths, shielding her heartbreak. "But I know my brother. He will stop at no end to find you again and have the life he craves." Thor sucked in a deep breath, "The life I stole from him."

Thor had begun this spiral into darkness. He had brought on Summer's misfortunes, firing Loki's resentment and all the vengeance that came with it. Everything had gone wrong because of him.

He had a chance to put things right though, as fate would now have it. If only Summer would see him, and if only Loki would listen, both of them might have a chance to be happy again.

Staring into Summer's eyes, he could see every spark of her resentment towards him, knowing it was well founded. He remembered that the whole reason she appeared in his realm had been from her trying to kill herself from other people hurting her in the very same way he had. He was lucky she was still here after her exile to pick up his mess.

If Summer had tried to kill herself again, then the galaxy would have known no end to Loki's rampage.

"I know I have no right to ask anything of you," he breathed softly, though a battle of emotions raged behind his crystal orbs. "But I will ask this: save him."

Surely, she couldn't leave him here, Thor thought. If she loved him at all, she would see him. And if Thor was right, just seeing her would be enough for Loki. One look at the very thing he was fighting for, and just maybe the rest of the world wouldn't matter to him anymore.

For a moment, Summer said nothing, and Thor watched her hard gaze study him, measuring her up. Finally, her eyes reached his face again.

"Do they know?" she asked, in a barely audible voice. "What you did."

A dullness crept into her gaze as she asked, numbing her once sparkling eyes. No matter how strong she was for her son, Thor knew that what Loki had said on that ledge had been right: what he had done had broken her. The dead look in her eyes told Thor it would be something she would never truly be able to forget.

His heart weighed heavily in his chest, thudding hard all of a sudden. His eyes darted away from hers. "No."

The word crept from his lips, dripping with his shame. This world wanted him to be their hero, but right now he didn't feel like a savior. In reality, he was the villain here.

But he hadn't told any of them otherwise. He was ashamed enough of his actions without their condemnation too. If Jane knew what kind of man he was…

A tiny voice inside of him was screaming as the silence stretched on, secretly yelling at Summer to keep her mouth shut. Another part was on its knees, pleading. Thor held both of them back. He had no right to ask for her silence. Subduing her had caused her hardship and pain enough so far in her life already for the sake of protecting his reputation.

Gulping hard, the god lifted his eyes again. Slowly Summer reached down and gathered her baby in her arms, rising from the chair. Her gaze never once left Thor.

"For Loki." She muttered curtly, settling her child on her hip. Thor was too captivated by the fierce resolve in her gaze though than to even think of snatching a glance at the infant though. "Not for you."

 _For Loki was enough_ , the god thought with a sigh of relief as Summer turned on her heel and left, ponytail swinging behind her.

XXX

The silence was both a blessing and a curse, Loki thought, the back of his head resting against the glass of his prison. He sat against the edge, with one leg drawn up slightly, pondering his next move.

He could call Barton now and end it. Within 24 hours the army could be flooding the streets of Earth, conquering it for him.

It would be over quickly, if he did. The Earth wouldn't last the week. And while the Chitauri rampaged in his name, he would free to search for Summer once and for all. He was sure it would take Barton minutes to track down where Summer would be, and once he knew, Summer would never have to be alone again.

Maybe he could do that immediately. Why wait? Perhaps as soon as he opened the portal he should go and look for her, while the rest of the world wrestles with the sudden onslaught.

A smile crept on his face at the thought; while aliens consumed their world, tracking one figure would be the last thing on their mind.

Something inside him nagged and he finally gave in, throwing a glimmer around the cell. To anybody looking in, all they would see was him looking blankly ahead, with eyes distant enough to be casual, but sparkling enough to still be cunning and alert.

Behind the glimmer though, he sat smiling – _really smiling!_ He hadn't truly smiled since the day Summer left.

But he smiled now, thinking of her, remembering her. He remembered how her long dark hair would sway in the gentle breeze, how her eyes crinkled slightly in the corners when she laughed. Gods, what he would give to hear her laugh again. Just hearing it made him feel like more of a king than the Alfather himself. Soon he would hear her laugh once more, when he made her the happiest woman alive.

If he couldn't do that, then what the Hel was he doing this for? He would never be happy again without Summer.

His smile slipped a little thinking about it. He had seen Summer guarded and hostile – usually towards Thor. What would he do if she turned that same rejection his way?

No, he thought. Summer wouldn't do that. Not to him.

Why think about it though? Maybe he should just set thing in motion and get on with it. The Avengers should be fighting enough amongst themselves enough now, after he let slip about Banner. That hadn't been intentional, but having them know didn't necessarily mean they would be able to stop it. Humans were fickle that way.

Just as he was about to stretch his mind out to Barton, the quiet hiss of the door distracted him. He sighed irritably.

Of course, his glimmer didn't though. That remained impassive.

"You look pretty happy with yourself."

The arrogant voice of the director was unmistakable, almost as unmistakable as his slow, heavy footsteps. A smirk danced on Loki's lips.

Slowly he let the glimmer fall as he turned his head, setting his cool eyes on the director. He looked just as unreadable as ever. Still, Loki cocked his head to the side slightly, curiously. "What exactly would I have to be happy about?"

Were they on to his plan perhaps? Unlikely, but there wasn't any other reason he could think of for the director to visit him. He was definitely interested.

The director's eye was calm and blank as he strode calmly forward to the glass, hands folded behind his back. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking. Truly, Loki was intrigued by him. It wasn't often that someone could hide secrets from him. Some of the mortals aboard this ship were truly proving to be challenging his skill.

The boots stopped a few feet from the glass edge, but Loki could see every detail of the director clearly. He must be confident, Loki thought. Smirk still fixed in place, the god pushed himself smoothly to his feet, stepping up to the glass edge to meet the director eye to eye.

"Honestly," the director crooked an eyebrow slightly, though his tone quickly settled from something quirky to far more serious. "I just don't get you."

The words almost hissed from his lips as his head shook, eye scouring down over Loki before meeting his cold gaze again. Taking a casual step back though, the director quickly lightened up again, blinking back from his threatening demeanor. "Thor seems to have a pretty clear picture though."

Loki couldn't help but chuckle at that – genuinely. These people were relying on _Thor_ to crack Loki's plan? They didn't have a chance…

"Thor doesn't know a thing about me."

If there was anyone to have a 'clear picture' of Loki, Thor would be the last person on his list. And Loki was happy with that. He didn't want anything to do with that monster.

The Director's eye was unwavering though. "He might know more than you think."

"Do enlighten me."

Loki was curious now. What great wisdom had Thor departed to the mortals? What could he possible tell them that would get Loki to spill anything, change anything? There wasn't any compromise that would tear Loki away from his goal.

There were no give aways in the Director's expression. "According to Thor's intel," he revealed slowly, voice deep and calm. "You have a girlfriend."

Loki threw the glimmer back up in a heartbeat, just before the smile fell flat from his face. While his doppelganger still stared the Director down, the real Loki staggered back a step feeling nauseous. They couldn't possibly have her…

"Do I really look to be the courting type?" his double sneered, grinning through the words though.

"Maybe not." Fury agreed bluntly. "But Thor seems to think he's on to something. And she is definitely familiar with you."

Loki could feel the colour draining from his face. No, they couldn't have her. Surely not. How could they have found her? How could Thor have told them about her? This was hardly the place for a woman and child. Unless, she hadn't been brought willingly. That, Thor was capable of.

It only made Loki feel sicker, fighting the urge to double over. "She's here already?" the double asked casually.

"She's here."

The god's heart was hammering in his chest. "And what, pray tell, is the name of this so called lover?"

A tiny quirk of the lips cracked the director's expression. "You'll find out soon enough." was all he said before he took a step back, turning away from the glass prison.

Loki expected some kind of witty remark before the director left – anything actually! He was hoping for it. Any scrap of information to confirm if they had really done what they implied. But to his surprise, he didn't get anything. "This is a trick!" his copy called after the director.

Fury didn't break his stride as he marched away, door hissing shut behind him with a ringing finality.

Still, Loki didn't let up the glimmer. He was sure they were still watching him.

Had they really found Summer and brought her here? This was not how Loki had planned to be reunited with her. What had they told her? What had they shown her?

With the glimmer hiding his true self from any prying eyes, Loki raised his hands to rake through his hair. Gods, this could ruin everything. He hadn't wanted Summer to see him like this, locked up and broken, with all his crimes in the hands of ruthless spies and assassins. Surely, they wouldn't hold back telling her what he'd done. Thor would leap at the chance to ruin her opinion of Loki.

Feeling his head swim with dread, the god sank down to his knees. He couldn't go through all this just to lose her, to have Thor turn her against him.

But then maybe that was exactly what they wanted, he thought. Maybe it was a trick and Thor was just trying to mess with his head.

Trapped in this cell, he had no way to tell.

Either way, he wanted to kill all of them. For using Summer against him or dragging her here in the midst of the chaos. Either one was cause enough. One day, they would all suffer.

He could bring Barton here now and rain fire down on their ship while he got away, sewing the seeds to destroy their entire world. It would be so easy. Barton could be here within an hour, bringing the god's wrath with them…

But then just thinking of Summer again made his heart ache, and thinking that she may have seen his evil first hand somehow simply made his heart feel like it would expire. It sapped his strength. A part of his mind was all raging, vengeful planning, but his spirit was too broken to even move. He didn't have the will to destroy anything right now. All he wanted to do was curl up and cry.

As if he could. He fell forward on his hands and knees, gasping for breath all of a sudden as thoughts of Summer raced through his head, consuming him.

The pain stung afresh. Perhaps the proximity to her was making it stronger.

Was she really here? He wanted to believe she was so close, so in reach, but then at the same time he didn't want her to see him like this at all. He wasn't ready for her to see him like this. They might not give him a choice though, he realized, if she was really here.

For now, that didn't matter. Worry, and anger, and fury – it was all drowned out by his anguish. That blazed through him uncontrollably and he brought his hands to either side of his head, as if he could crush it from his skull. It was Summer. She brought it all back, all the suffering, all the pain of their separation.

If she was really here, then perhaps she would come and see him. And if not, then Loki would have them all burn.

Tomorrow.

Today, he let himself fall forward, rolling onto his back, surrendering to the gasping pain Summer's memory left in it's wake.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Summer was glad she had packed an extra shirt in her hand luggage as she tugged it down over her head, brushing her hair out the way. The pale sun was starting it's descent in the sky outside, casting a strange orangey glow around the small bunk she had been allocated.

With a heavy sigh, she kicked her back under the metal framed bed that was built into the wall and bent over to fluff her hair up.

The room was obviously designed for agents. The beds were bolted to the wall and had both beds along the floor and above them. The room she was in only housed four, but for now it had been cleared out just for her. Ewin lay on the other bed across the room from her, staring up at the metal under frame of the bed above him like it was the most fascinating thing in the world.

As Summer straightened up, she realized just how tired she was. After what she had seen on the monitor yesterday, visions of Loki's cruel eyes had haunted her long into the night, keeping her awake. But when she finally passed out from her exhaustion, she had been out for the count. From what she could tell from the position of the sun in the sky, she guessed it was late afternoon sometime. Jet lag, she guessed, though she had no idea where exactly she was in the world to cause jet lag.

Dark circles hung under her eyes, betraying her exhaustion. Honestly, she felt like she could just go back to sleep. But she wasn't here to rest. She was here to help someone.

Loki.

If she was brave enough.

Once upon a time, her heart leapt at the idea of seeing Loki, but now it balked in dread. Was it really Loki she would see, or some monster wearing his face?

She didn't want to think on it too much though, she thought as she leaned down and lifted Ewin up from the bed, settling him on her hip. His bright blue eyes looked up at her curiously. She didn't have the heart to meet his gaze at the moment. Her heart just felt so confused.

Still, she held the little boy tightly to her with one arm as the other wrenched the door open and closed it behind her. She made her way down the corridors with her eyes low and distant, her feet taking her back to the lab Fury had shown her yesterday. It was the only place she remembered how to get to on this ship.

Her stomach rumbled slightly as she walked, but she ignored it. Sure she was starving, but she was also sick. She couldn't bear the thought of food, knowing what she was about to face soon.

She avoided eye contact with the agents that passed her, though she could feel their eyes one her back as she went past. She stood out a bit. Her leggings and mottled grey t-shirt was a bit different to the suits and leather that the other agents wore. Plus, the baby kind of gave her away.

She ducked into the lab quickly, brushing a stray stand of wavy hair behind her ear.

"Are you sure you're okay?" the blonde man in the Captain America suit was asking the wavy haired scientist. "If the spear is affecting you, we can have it moved."

The scientist straightened up from whatever monitor he had been looking at and whipped off his glasses, meeting Captain America's gaze head on. "I touched it one time," he sighed in an exasperated, but calm voice. "I wouldn't still be here if it wasn't safe." He put his glasses back on, stepping to the side. "I'm over it."

Captain America opened his mouth to say something back, looking a mixture of annoyed and anxious, but a gentle touch on Summer's shoulder distracted her.

She leapt a mile in surprise, whipping her head round so fast that something in her neck clicked. Her heart automatically vaulted to her throat as she traced the outstretched hand back to Thor's blonde hair and blue eyes.

Swallowing her gasp, she forced her wide eyes to soften slightly, willing her heart to calm down from its mad clatter. As much as his face had haunted her nightmares and sent terror tearing through her, she knew she couldn't be afraid of him any more. Not like this. She needed to be bold, for Loki and Ewin's sakes. Even if that meant standing side by side with the face that had haunted her terrors and nightmares.

Just looking at him though, despite what he'd done in the past, Summer knew she wasn't in danger around Thor. At least her mind did. Her body and instincts were still catching on.

He wasn't flaunting himself like he had been in Asgard, swaggering with his own arrogance. Now there was a quiet regality about him. In a way, it only made Summer distrust him more. Before, she had known exactly what the god was thinking, every raw reaction etched blatantly on his face. Now though, she had no way of telling what lay behind that worried frown and distant gaze. He was just as powerful as before, only now the warning signals had been switched off. She was even more vulnerable.

Standing beside him though, she didn't get the sense that he wanted to hurt her. Really, she didn't feel like he wanted anything to do with her. The way he struggled to look at her told her that. He was more concerned about Loki, and that was why he had brought her here, despite his own wishes. Whatever resentment he might have towards her wasn't at the forefront of his mind at the moment. Loki was.

The thunder god offered her a small smile, in what was obviously intended to be friendly from the apologetic gleam in his eyes. It did little to help Summer's nerves though.

"I want to see him." blurted from her lips before she could help it, instinctively holding Ewin a little tighter.

The light in the god's eyes sank a little, but after a moment, he gave a grave nod. "I understand." His deep voice accepted. "I can take you to him."

Summer heart started hammering again at the offer, but the weight on her hip reminded her of something. "I just need to find someone to mind Ewin." She chipped in quickly. "I don't really want him to see…"

"No, of course." Thor nodded, his eyes staying low. "This is no place for a child."

It wasn't just for Ewin's sake that she didn't want him with her when she saw Loki. It would surely be a bitter blow to Loki to _see_ Summer's illegitimate child, and she knew she would never truly be able to concentrate while she had Ewin in her arms. Her attention needed to be with Loki.

For a moment, neither of them said anything else, both just lost in thought.

It was only then that Summer realized where Thor was looking at, with his subdued, thoughtful gaze nowhere hear her face. More like her waist. Where Ewin hugged around her, staring back up at the god.

Thor visibly gulped, tongue darting out to wet his dry lips. "Can…" His gaze flickered back up to Summer's face, gleaming slightly. "Can I see him?"

For a moment, Summer's arms instinctively tightened around her baby and her body shifted to put more distance between him and the thunder god. Her eyes automatically narrowed, heart skipping a beat at the thought of her rapist even _touching_ her child…

"He doesn't like strangers." she shot the god down coldly, building a barrier between the child and his father with a twist of her torso.

Her eyes glared at him warningly; this was her baby, and she couldn't take chances. Still, the disappointment that blatantly crossed the god's gaze shook her with surprise.

He didn't look away though. "Please…"

Summer's mouth opened again automatically, but her mind still scrambled to find words to articulate her 'no'. Her heart felt hard as iron in her chest.

But then, in her moment of stunned silence, she looked a little closer at the god. Thor's orbs implored at her with a tender gentleness, sparkling like some otherworldly stars. God, they were so shimmering that Summer almost thought he was tearing up! She had never seen Thor on this side of the emotional spectrum.

It made the breath catch in Summer's throat as she watched him, drinking in his vulnerability.

This wasn't the same man she'd known in Asgard.

Her shoulders slowly relaxed, but she didn't move any closer just yet. Her arms were still tight around her child as her heart started to race, thoughts running wild at what she was starting to consider.

As much as her heart was screaming at her that he couldn't be trusted, she couldn't deny what she was seeing in front of her. He was different. She could see it; there was no anger or ill intent in his eyes – only pleading. Hell, she could _feel_ it from him.

Pity clenched her heart, wrestling with conflict. This was a man who wanted to see his first born son, who wanted to hold his child…

Her own eyes glittered with uncertainty back at Thor's. "Okay." she finally breathed.

A voice in the back of her mind was screaming at her the second the word left her mouth, but she ignored it, focusing instead on Thor. Her eyes scoured over his body language, searching for anything that might clue her to him wanting to hurt her child.

As he nervously gulped though and he eased forward tentatively, she was struggling. His bright gaze was locked on the child.

Summer followed it, slowly easing Ewin away from her waist and hip and cradling him in her arms like a newborn. She was still conflicted, even as she took a step closer to Thor, giving him a clear view of his son as she closed the gap between them. She wasn't sure if it was her imagination, or if Thor's breaths picked up slightly in pace.

His eyes were bright beneath his furrowed brow, and Summer could see a long pent up desire hidden in their depths, though it was clashed with fear.

Just like any new father.

A touch of sadness twanged at Summer's heart before she could stop it, and just before she did, she let Ewin slip from her arms and into Thor's awaiting embrace.

To her surprise, Ewin didn't make a sound. Not even as Thor gently adjusted his arms to get a more comfortable position. Usually, Ewin hated strange men - he hadn't liked any man touching him since David, screaming as soon as someone so much as tried! Yet here he was, with this god he had never met before, and he was happy, with innocent eyes glittering up at his father.

Summer's heart ached bitterly as she saw it, fighting the emotion clawing up her throat. Instantly, she felt the loss as Thor and Ewin shared their new connection.

The baby looked tiny in its father's thick, muscular arms, but Thor held him with care, Ewin's head resting comfortably against his large bicep. The breath hitched in the god's throat. His gaze slowly softened, losing its trace of fear the longer he stared at the tiny version of himself that he cradled. For the first time since Summer had seen him again, the thunder god finally looked at peace.

Hesitantly, he raised a gentle finger and brought it to stroke Ewin's tiny cheek. "What's his name?" mumbled from his lips.

The lump in Summer's throat stole her voice from her as she opened her mouth, and a ragged gasp tore through her lips instead. She blinked back her tears. "Ewin." She croaked, her chest feeling tight.

A soft smile slowly pricked at Thor's lips. "Ewin," he breathed, a beautiful warmth glowing in his orbs. "Son of Thor…"

He was safe, Summer knew as she watched her child unmistakably bond with his father. He had never loved anybody but her before. And of all people for him to choose to accept alongside her, it broke her heart that it had to be the man that had hurt her the deepest.

But Thor was his father, and that was something that Summer would never be able to change.

She pressed her lips together to stop them from quivering. "In English, it means 'friend of the law'."

Thor's gaze snapped up at that, and Summer quickly steeled her own in response. She didn't want him to see her weak. But deep down she knew there was no disguising her pain truly; she had named her son to be the opposite of what Thor had been when he had raped her, in a hope that he could grow into a better man than his father.

Thor didn't say anything as his serious stare met hers, holding his tongue. What words were there to say? They both knew that 'sorry' could never be enough, though his gaze gleamed with a solemn guilt.

It was something that Summer had never expected to see in Thor's gaze, and that was the final straw that squeezed that traitorous tear from her eye at last.

XXX

When the unmistakable sound of the door's hiss hit his ears, Loki let out an inward sigh.

He was getting tired of this game; spy after spy trying to coax him out of his plan in one way or another. He'd heard threats and bargains, treaties and chit-chat. After Fury had dangled Summer's name in front of his face, he had kept his glimmer up permanently, so that all the world could see was him leaned casually back against the glass, eyes far off and thoughtful.

Behind the image, he was not that much different anyway. He sat back against the glass with one leg drawn up, arm draped loosely over his knee. He hadn't moved for hours.

His mind had been racing though. When all the tears had been shed and Loki's heart had ached until it couldn't bear anymore pain, all that was left was raw, antagonized rage. Thoughts of Summer still echoed in the back of his mind: her bright eyes, her innocent smile – everything wonderful about her that Fury tainted just by speaking her name.

He would pay – and Thor too! For giving her name to these wretched people.

The more he thought about it, the more he came to realize that here was no way Summer would be here. Thor didn't know where she was, and he wouldn't care about her enough to remember any details that could find her. Of that much, Loki was certain. He could dangle her name in front of Loki's face, but that was all the influence they had using Summer against him.

As the sun had risen, so had his vengeance. By the end of the day, the ship would be falling out the sky and Loki would be assembling his army.

For Summer.

Just for a few more hours, he had to bide his time. Barton had said that an evening attack would cause the most damage, when the shifts changed, when people were weary from a long monotonous day. A few more hours, and they would strike.

"Do you … do you even remember me?"

Loki's eyes blinked wide and the breath froze in his chest as those words softly broke the silence. He remembered that voice.

Holding the glimmer in place, holding the vision of himself still, he turned his eyes to the doorway of his chamber. He was on his feet in seconds. He couldn't believe what his eyes were showing him.

Summer stood timidly at the top of the grated metal steps that led down to his prison cell, staring down at him with glittering olive green eyes. The same olive green eyes he had remembered all this time, the ones he had fought so hard to see again.

Numbly, his palm pressed against the glass, moving his face as close to the surface as he could without actually touching it. As close as he could get, his wide eyes scoured over her.

As far as Summer could see, he was still sat on the floor, ignoring her. He wanted to keep it that way for just a moment longer, just until he was sure…

She looked like his Summer. The woman in front of him had long wavy hair that fell around her waist, like Summer's had before she had cut it in Asgard. Her skin was just as pale as he remembered, though her eyes seemed larger in her face than they had been in his memories. Her whole face looked smaller, thinner. Was this really her?

Or were Thor and Fury just taking their ploy a step too far? This woman resembled Summer, but she did not look the same. Would Thor be desperate enough to find a lookalike to try and placate him?

Perhaps, Loki thought, hand curling into a fist against the glass. His once wide eyes narrowed bitterly, feeling his fury rise again.

But his heart still tugged at her voice: " _Loki_?"

His heart pounded in time with her steps as she slowly walked down the steps towards his cell. He could see her hand tremble against the rail. She was afraid of him. Would his Summer be afraid?

It may sound like his Summer and resemble her, but that didn't mean it was her. Loki knew more than most that things were not always as they first appeared. The more he looked, the more he noticed the differences; the sunken look under her eyes, the thinness of her limbs, her hair was thinner, her skin too white…

His head shook slowly, feeling the betrayal sink in, stinging like barbed wire in his heart.

"You are not her."

Loki spat the words out himself, though his copy stayed still and unmoving.

He could see the confusion dance in the woman's eyes for a moment, her brow furrowing in confusion at hearing his words, but not seeing his shadow's lips move at all. Her gaze glittered back at him, unshed tears shining like stars in her eyes as she watched his glimmer.

Then she blinked, and Loki could see the realization sink in her eyes; instead of watching his glimmer, they roamed around the whole prison, lost but looking.

Loki's heart skipped a beat. She knew that it wasn't really him sat on the floor. Did Thor know that? Did Fury know what magic Loki could do?

Summer did…

"If it were not me," she said shakily, eyes still searching as her hand moved to the neckline of her shirt. "Then how could I have this?"

Mesmerized, Loki could tear his eyes away as he watched her delicate fingers pluck a silver chain from within her shirt, hand closing around the pendant on the end.

When her fingers unfurled, the silver mermaid necklace glittered back at Loki though the glass.

His glimmer rained away in a heartbeat, feeling his chest hammer as he let Summer see him for the first time, her eyes finding him in seconds. Her first tear slid over her cheek.

 _It was her_ , Loki thought breathlessly feeling a lump lodge itself in his throat. When her lips stretched into a smile though – that perfect smile he had worked so tirelessly to see again - it took all he had to contain his own shimmering orbs. His palm flattened against the glass as if he might be able to reach through it and touch her.

He sucked in a ragged breath, not even bothering trying to contain his own smile as their eyes met through the glass. The spies would be watching, but for once, Loki really didn't care.

Then he remembered what Summer being here must have meant, and his smile withered away. His hardened gaze bore into hers. "Did he hurt you?"

Summer's expression fell quickly, but it was controlled. There was no flash of fear in her eyes, no further trembling…"No." she breathed quietly. "I'm fine."

Thor coming for her had hardly been uneventful, but at least it hadn't been violent, and that was what was on Loki's mind, Summer knew. After all this time, and all she had seen him do, she could see the man she remembered staring back at her. He looked ready to defend her all over again.

That wasn't what she wanted though, she thought sadly, her head starting to shake. She didn't want him to have to fight. "What are you doing?"

What had they told her about him, Loki wondered. Had they called him a murderer? A lunatic? Even if S.H.I.E.L.D and Thor hadn't told her anything at all, he was sure his reputation would have spread across her world. She must know something about what he did.

His fingers tensed against the glass at the thought. She must know that the man doing those things wasn't him, not really. She knew that… right?

Her sad eyes made his heart ache.

"I'm fighting for a better life for us." He said firmly, feeling his spirits sink the longer he looked at Summer's miserable face. "For _you_."

Right now, she would see the violence and killing, but she didn't know the reason for it. And that was one thing he could not tell her – not with those eyes watching them. She may not understand, but she would one day. When they had a life again.

Summer's expression didn't change. "Thor told me you were going to tear the world apart to find me…"

That quirked a small smile at Loki's lips: "And you trust Thor's word?"

"No." she said without hesitation. She pressed her lips together for a moment and Loki watched with bated breath as her eyes watered traitorously, before she couldn't hold his gaze anymore. "Is this my fault?" she gasped, blinking down furiously at the corner of Loki's cell. "Because of what I did?"

What Summer did… that had been when he had seen her kissing another man back on Earth, when he had gone back to take her home. That was the day he had left her stranded instead of taking her back; the day he could have turned both of their lives around.

Until he had walked away.

In a way, yes, this was because of that. Loki was winning her back – simply going back for her hadn't worked out so well before.

Loki's fingers slipped numbly from the glass, his heart stilling in his chest. He couldn't tell her that though. It would break her heart. His gaze fell sadly at the thought, the fight slowly draining out of him.

He'd promised in Asgard that he'd never let anybody hurt her again, but with his eyes scouring over her body and its frail state, he knew that she'd endured even more hurt since then because of him. Even after he had found her on Earth, he had left her. Obviously the reality hadn't been as picturesque as the snap shot he had seen.

The more he looked, the more he could see it. Her limbs were thinner then they should be, which meant she wasn't eating or she was working too hard – both the result of the hardships he had caused by not being able to protect her. There was a new hardness to her eyes that betrayed her struggle, her spirit visibly fighting before him to keep herself together.

She had not been that way in Asgard, and Loki's heart ached in his chest to know that her thinness and pain was all his fault.

He should have stayed a year ago when he had found her with that man. He should have spoken to her instead of just fleeing. At least then they would have been able to either move on together or get some closure.

Instead he had run away, unable to face the thought that she didn't want him anymore. He left her to her struggles, and surrendered himself to his vengeance and his drive to prove himself to her. All because he hadn't stayed to ask her the reality.

"No." He said quietly, sighing out his frustration in defeat with slumped shoulders. "I should have protected you."

His eyes lingered low, glazing distantly over the metal grated floor through the glass of his cell, trying to concentrate on counting the gaps to distract from his breaking heart.

The tears slipped quickly down Summer's cheeks, but she clenched her fists hard as she fought for control. Her thumbnail dug into the flesh of her palm, trying to distract herself. "I'm sorry." She shuddered. "I didn't mean…I-I just…" She screwed her eyes shut for a moment, and when they opened again Loki felt like he was seeing her soul. "I should have trusted you would come back for me. I'm sorry." Her fingers brushed the mermaid pendant at her collar bone. "Can we pretend none of this ever happened?"

Gulping hard, Loki's jaw clenched, battling his thudding heart. Everything inside him was longing to console her, to take her in his arms and make all the pain go away, to give up the Tesseract… but doing so now wouldn't make any difference. If he gave up, somebody else would take his place – and they wouldn't spare Summer.

"You don't understand." He hissed quietly, his own hands in fists now too. "I can't just walk away from this. My fate is _bound_ to the Tesseract."

Summer's eyes gleamed pleadingly. "They can help you-"

"They can't help me!"

Though Thor knew that the plan went beyond Loki, he didn't know the extent. He didn't know what Thanos was planning, what he could already _do….i_ t was bigger than just one world, bigger than a fight for one mortal. And S.H.I.E.L.D had no idea.

 _But Summer couldn't know that_ , Loki reminded himself, the sadness in her eyes making the breath catch in his lungs. Stiffly, he forced his hands to uncurl.

His gaze was still dark though, warning. "You have to trust me." He said, calmer than he felt.

She had trusted him before – and now? After all this time? Loki was amazed at how she could trust anybody after all the betrayal she had endured over her lifetime. But she had always trusted him in Asgard, and he would rather die than let her down again.

Blinking down at her though, he did see trust in her expression, only sadness and horror. Her face paled a shade.

"How can I trust you?" she hissed, backing away a step. "You've _killed_ people, Loki. And you're willing to kill more - I heard your threats to that woman. Is that what you're going to do to me one day?"

Loki was floored, heart stilling in his chest as he watched Summer back away even further, backing up the steps that lead down to his chamber. She couldn't be serious, could she? She thought he would hurt her? No, she had to know that wasn't possible. He could never hurt her. Surely, she knew that, right?

But he couldn't deny to her that he may have to kill more for this plan to succeed. And she was right – he was a murderer.

Whatever words he had been planning to use to explain himself choked up and died in his throat, and all he could do was watch Summer's horror unfold in shocked silence. She had retreated to the top of the stairs by now.

To her though, his silence only confirmed her worst fears and her hand rose to cover her mouth. "Oh my God…" _Who was he?_

This was not the Loki she knew.

Before she knew it, she tore her eyes away from the man she had loved, heart hammering painfully in her chest. She let her body carry her away as her eyes blurred with tears, Loki's screaming of her name echoing in her ears until the door slammed shut.

XXX

"Alright, alright, I'm coming!" Tony Stark called in response to the furious raps on his door. Yanking it open though, he didn't find what he had expected.

His eyes froze on Summer, drinking in her tear stained face and trembling hands. Her eyes burned fiercely, with something beyond anger, beyond hurt. It was agonizing just to look at her suffering. He couldn't even begin to imagine what she must be actually feeling to look like that.

Still, he stepped back as she walked over the threshold, closing the door firmly behind her. "I need a drink."

For a moment, his heart stopped, but he regained his composure in milliseconds. "I don't have any." He said dismissively. "I don't think Fury's really the party kind-"

"Don't bullshit me, Stark! I know you have something."

His mouth shot open instinctively to refute it, but then he thought better of it under Summer's furious gaze. With a long sigh, he crossed the room and his fingers plucked a bottle from behind the headboard. The clink of glass told Summer it was not the only one.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

At first, Summer wasn't sure if the pounding was really from the door or if it was just her thunderous headache.

Blinking her eyes awake, she groaned as her sense of self came back to her and, bit by bit, she remembered what had put her in this state. The empty whiskey bottles strewn across the floor helped.

Fingers massaging her throbbing temples, she propped her shoulders up off the bed, resting back on her elbows. She drank in the ruffled sheets around her, her shirt ruffled up around her waist and her bare legs, along with the unconscious Stark down on the floor beside the bed. All she wanted to do was to flop back on the bed and pass out again until her headache disappeared.

The pounding on the door wasn't helping.

"Summer?"

Summer gasped at Thor's voice calling through the door, eyes shooting up wide to the doorway. She swore violently in her head.

Panicking quickly, her heart dropped into her stomach as she scoured the ground for her leggings. Being found half naked in a mans room was never a good scene to be found in. But Thor – of all people! – it had to be Thor that found her here?!

But when she heard the unmistakable cries of a baby, she knew why it was Thor who was looking for her. Her eyes screwed shut with regret.

On the other side of the door, Ewin was howling. _Of course he was_ , Summer thought as she slipped clumsily from the bed, catching her leggings from between bottles on the floor. God, how much had they drunk last night?

A lot, judging from Summer's stagger as she straightened up, wriggling her legs into her leggings. The room was still swaying slightly and she was fighting the urge to gag.

"Shh, shh." She heard Thor say quietly from the corridor to the screaming child. "I'll find her for you. Please stop crying. Please."

Any other time, Summer might have found it amusing hearing the slight note of panic in the god's voice; the god of thunder at his wits end at the hands of a helpless little baby.

Only it was her baby, and suddenly there was nothing funny about it at all.

Groaning, she staggered to the door and her hands anchored on the door handle, steadying herself. Ewin's screaming was stark in her ears.

She knew that as soon as she opened the door, assumptions would go flying through Thor's mind. Being illusive in another man's room never gave off the right impression, but Thor was always one to shoot to conclusions faster than most from what she remembered. This was not something she wanted getting back to Loki or Director Fury before she'd had a chance to explain herself.

She couldn't put it off forever though. Sucking in a deep breath, she wrenched the door open.

Thor's gleaming eyes found hers in a heartbeat, but Summer only had eyes for her crying child, clutching to the god's side. As soon as he saw her though, his little arms reached for her.

"Please help me." The god pleaded, arms opening in an invitation to take the baby.

Sighing, Summer obliged.

XXX

Half an hour later, with Ewin content and clinging to Summer's arm in the chair beside her, she buried her head in her palm. Thor sat across the table from her.

They were in one of the small staff break rooms, but this one literally only had a table, sink, coffee machine and cupboards, all boxed into four short walls. It was tiny, but it was enough. After Thor had frightened off whatever operatives had been in there and had gotten her a glass of water, Summer had been grateful for the silence to pull herself together in.

Her fingers played with the hem of Ewin's shirt absentmindedly as he crushed her arm to his little chest.

"It wasn't what it looked like." She mumbled, eyes low.

She still felt awful, both emotionally and physically. She'd just been able to hold the water down, though she didn't dare attempt to eat anything. She knew that wouldn't go down so well.

But thinking about what she did to Ewin just ate away at her. What kind of mother was she? He hadn't even crossed her mind when she'd gone to Stark. She'd forgotten she was a mother when she had thrown the whiskey down her throat. All that time he had been left with someone that less than 24 hours ago Summer wouldn't have trusted to help her change a light bulb.

Just thinking about it brought the crushing shame to the surface. Her eyes fluttered shut as she embraced it, knowing it was no less than she deserved.

"I know."

Summer's eyes snapped open at that.

Whatever it was that she had been expecting of Thor, the last thing on her mind had been compassion. A good yell or slam of the fist on the table – but not the soft, sad gaze that was angled her way.

Her lips parted in question, but she didn't have the words. First he was gentle with Ewin, now he was kind to her even when she royally screwed up… who was this man? She didn't want to question this change in persona, but a part of her had to, to know if it was genuine. She didn't want to fully let her guard down around him, only to find he had arranged to have her thrown from the ship as soon as she was vulnerable.

"What happened to you?" slipped numbly from her lips, shaking her head lightly at the god. She just couldn't make sense of it.

She was on tenterhooks, even more so when a flash of pain crossed the god's gaze. Glancing away, Thor leaned back in his seat though his hands stayed tightly clenched on the table top.

"When I was exiled from Asgard," he began quietly. "I met a mortal. She aided me in my time of need and showed me kindness I did not deserve. In time, I grew to care for her, much like you feel for Loki and what he feels for you."

Summer hadn't known about Thor's exile from Asgard, but she kept her face impassive. That wasn't the question she needed answered today.

A small smile flittered across Thor's face as he obviously thought of his mortal for a moment. It sobered quickly though, gulping hard.

"I keep thinking of what I would do if I found out about Jane what you had of Loki." He revealed, flickering his eyes back to hers earnestly. "There would not be enough mead in all the nine realms to drown my sorrow…but I would not be able to let go of my feelings for her so lightly. I do not believe you would either."

Summer hadn't realized she'd been holding her breath until it burst from her lungs in a rush. So that was Thor's secret? He'd fallen in love. Genuinely, it seemed, from the glow in his eye.

A snide voice in the back of her mind got the better of her stunned silence though, slipping out the curt question before she realized: _"Does she know?"_

Did Jane know what Thor had done to her? She couldn't imagine Thor telling her, but then she couldn't imagine him falling in love in the first place. After how brutal he had been to her, it was hard to imagine he could care for anything, let alone anyone.

The dark shadow that crossed his face gave her the answer before his words did.

"No." he muttered, eyes falling away again. "I have not."

Of course, he wouldn't, Summer thought. He wouldn't want his girl to think he was a monster. What man would?

At first, something inside Summer rose up angrily at the way he had kept what he had done to her a dirty little secret. God only knew, he deserved the shame for what he did.

But she was not here for him. She had made peace with those demons of her past and accepted her choices. She would right Thor's wrong by making their son part of a better future, not by destroying Thor's reality. Ruining Thor's world wouldn't make her feel any better, wouldn't give her her old life back.

"Though if you would want for her to know," Thor said heavily with a deep breath, head hanging. "I would not deny you."

Blinking at the god, Summer's heart just ached. He would do that? He would potentially throw his relationship away? All to take responsibility that what he had done to her was wrong.

Looking at the guilt ridden god, she had a feeling the god had punished himself enough for the sins of his youth.

Summer's eyes lowered to the table. "Her name is Jane?"

Glancing up, she caught the smile that flickered across Thor's face. "It is." He said warmly.

A small smile pricked at Summer's lips at the loving tone to Thor's voice. It dropped after a somber thought though: "Do right by her." slipped from her lips quietly. "Don't make the same mistakes."

She wasn't sure what she was expecting to see when she lifted her gaze or what impression she was hoping to make on the god. When she caught his gaze though, she was glad to see the burning resolve in his eyes though, that happy glint from moments ago vanished. This time, they were deadly serious, his jaw taunt and tense: "Never."

She would take Thor turning his life around any day to seeing him lose everything.

A small smile crossed her lips, satisfied.

It quickly froze though as a wave of alcohol induced nausea washed over her. Screwing her eyes shut, she groaned, hanging her head against the sickening sensation.

"You do not have the head for drink." The god scolded gently. "I remember you did not take well to the mead in Asgard."

Running a hand over her eyes, Summer smiled, peeling them open. She remembered that day, being taken out into the Asgardian town and choking on their strong ale. "Is that the Asgardian way to call somebody a lightweight?"

Thor chuckled, shaking his head lightly. "I suppose so. What sorrows were you drinking to drown?"

That caused Summer's smile to freeze, hand over her eyes. "I can't change him." She shuddered, barely louder than a whisper. Her hand fell away from her face at last, revealing her tear filled eyes. "I thought I could, but he won't give it up. Not even for me. I don't know what to do."

She ground the heel of her hand into her eyes, brushing away the tears. New ones quickly took their place though.

She had been a fool for thinking that Loki would just flip the moment he saw her. She'd been gone for so long – maybe he didn't even really love her anymore, just clinging to the memories of feelings that had now passed.

"I watched the footage." She heard Thor say stiffly. "He may still be resolute in his plan, but he did change. Everybody could see his care for you."

 _It wasn't enough though,_ Summer thought. "What good will knowing he cares for me do for the people he's gonna kill?"

He was going to kill more people – that was one thing Summer was certain of from their meeting. But she still couldn't figure out if it was something he _needed_ to do or _wanted._ In the end, the result was the same and her heart was still broken, but she prayed that Loki would find a way to stop it.

What else could she do? She couldn't take him back to Asgard and she wasn't sure Odin would have him back after what had happened. S.H.I.E.L.D wouldn't just let him go and she couldn't even convince him to try and change course. She had no other power, nothing else to show him.

A gentle tug on her arm reminded her that that wasn't exactly true though.

XXX

This time, as soon as the door hissed open Loki was on his feet, eyes instantly searching for whoever had come in. Naturally, he kept his glimmer up so he appeared oblivious. He would only throw it down for one person.

His heart soared as that person finally walked through the door with steady strides.

But she wasn't alone, he noticed as Summer started to descend the stairs. His heart stopped a beat for a moment as big curious blue eyes met his from Summer's side.

He barely noticed as the glimmer rained away, letting Summer see his true form.

She looked calmer now; happier. A small smile danced on her lips and her eyes glowed as she looked down at the baby on her hip. Loki followed her gaze with his heart in his mouth.

It was obvious who the child was. With his bright blue eyes and blonde hair, who could mistake him as anyone but Thor's son?

Instinctively, Loki's hands curled into fists at his side. He had never seen the result of Thor's rape, not truly. He had known when the baby was born and had briefly seen his figure when he had found Summer with that other man, but he had not truly _seen_ the child. Looking at him now filled Loki with his rage all over again.

This was the burden that had kept Summer from him, that she had driven herself into hardship for. This was the parasite that Thor had infected her with when she should have been in his care.

Such a tiny creature, so physically alike his monstrous father… Loki found it hard to even look at him.

Summer gazed down fondly though. "This is Ewin." She said warmly, reaching across her body to nudge her finger in the child's little hand. "Ewin, say hello."

Her finger moved away from the boy's hand and for a moment, Ewin just curled his hand into a fist and dug his thumb into his mouth. His gaze found Loki's effortlessly through the glass. They looked so much like Thor's eyes…

Loki's heart was pounding away in his chest like a runaway train as he stared at the little boy. Ewin's eyes were round and curious as they found the god in the glass, but Loki couldn't help but wonder what was festering behind that gaze. Would he have Thor's malice in him? Would he grow up to be cold and cruel too?

But then Ewin popped his thumb out of his mouth and stretched his fingers out, waving them back and forth at Loki in a sweet, shy rush.

Loki fought the instinct to drop his jaw. Instead, he just froze under the child's wave, heart thudding to a halt. Sucking in a shaky breath, he felt his fists trembling at his sides.

He was a child, Loki knew. Just a little child, who didn't understand what evil had brought him into the world…but he was Thor's son, and a part of Loki couldn't see past that. He saw Thor's cruel face in that little boy, and something inside Loki twisted with rage seeing him wave, like it was nothing.

Summer simply giggled, beaming broadly at her son. The glow in her eyes showed how proud she was of him.

How did the child not give her nightmares, Loki wondered, such a haunting image of her attacker. "Summer…"

He wasn't sure what he wanted to say, but his voice came out as nearly a growl. He wished she wouldn't cradle him so closely or look at him with such a loving eye. Every fibre inside him was itching to put distance between Summer and that little monster. Would he have Asgardian strength? Could he hurt her?

There was nothing Loki could do to help her if he did. He was stuck behind the glass. Tensely, he raised his fist and braced it again his prison wall. At least, it stopped him trembling.

"He's grown up with stories about you," Summer said softly, combing back her son's hair from his face with her fingers. "You're his hero."

She couldn't just change Loki's mind about the boy with a few sweet words, he resolved. It was Thor's son, not just any child. This boy had been the reason Summer had been cast out of Asgard, thrown into nothingness, and away from him. If she hadn't been infected with this baby, she would have been able to stay by his side…

As Summer's eyes lifted, Loki could see her read his mind. Her face dropped in a heartbeat, her eyes gleaming, pleading with him. "He's my son…"

"He's not your son." Loki hissed, tearing his fist away from the glass. "He is of Thor."

 _And nothing of that monster could ever be Summer's,_ Loki finished in his head.

He of all people should know. He was Frost Giant, made to believe he was normal and just like everybody else. Only he wasn't. And the more he battled and the more he killed, he was beginning to recognize his brutish heritage more and more every time. Just because the Thor's baby didn't know his father didn't mean he wouldn't turn out like him.

But he could see Summer's heart crack and splinter through her eyes and regretted his words in a heartbeat.

He could never get Summer to change her mind about the boy, he realized. It was too late now, even if it would have been possible at all. Even though the child looked like his father, Summer had been the one to carry him, to care for him when he was born, hold him when he cried… the bond built up from years of tenderness would not be so easily broken.

He could see the resolve in the way her arms tightened protectively around the baby. No matter who the father was, she was his mother. And she wouldn't leave him behind, Loki realized.

"I wish you could just hold him." Summer finally said quietly. "Then you would know."

Loki's jaw tensed. "Don't."

He didn't want any part in that child, didn't want it anywhere near him or Summer. It would only cause them pain, only make things worse. Did she not understand?

 _Perhaps not_ , Loki realized, watching Summer's eyes harden, watching the sadness solidify. It was only when she put Ewin down by her ankles that he noticed her hands had clenched into fists. A small warning sounded in the back of his head, but he knew it was too late to turn around the slow burning blaze in Summer's gaze.

"Ewin wasn't my choice." She slowly forced out, voice only just not shaking. "But this," her arm waved around Loki's prison. "This _is_ yours! You don't get the right to reject my baby because of your misguided morals."

Her voice rose with every word and Loki's eyes shifted, staring past her at the metal stairs, taking every harsh syllable. He deserved it, he knew. But he couldn't bear to look her in the face as she said it all. Just thinking she felt even the slightest bit unhappy with him made his heart clench in his chest.

The worst part was that she was right.

"It must be so hard for you to look at him and be reminded of what happened." She went on sarcastically, and Loki could hear the tears in her eyes as she said it. "Well, I _felt_ it! I dealt with it."

Loki pressed his lips together, holding in whatever it was that he might have said. She was right. As much as he hated to admit it, she was right.

"Look at me!"

A sharp thud on the glass distracted him from his thoughts and he glanced up – right into Summer's furious gaze, her palm still flat on the glass. Her head shook.

"We're not kids anymore, not like back in Asgard." Spilled from her lips, only just in control, "And we can't go back." Despite the anger that was obviously going through her, her eyes still gleamed with a plea, something inside her begging with him. Her next words explained it: "You get both of us… or no one at all."

The breath caught in Loki's throat and felt his eyes glitter in response to Summer's. But there were no words. She had said enough, and the though of losing her for good, after all he had done…

He screwed his eyes shut before he could finish the thought. Getting their future was never going to be easy, he reminded himself.

One boy was holding them back right now, just one child that hadn't been in his perfect ending. How would he even fix that? Drop him off at an orphanage? Give him back to Thor? However the boy was removed from the situation, how could he live knowing he had ruined an innocent boy's life just to mend an inconvenience in his own.

The worst part would be how heartbroken Summer would be without him. He hadn't seen them together for long, but he could see how much she loved her baby with every kind look and tender hold…he would lose her without him. That much Loki was certain of.

With a heavy sigh, he glanced down, knowing he didn't have a choice. He couldn't lose her.

Ewin stared back at him with those big blue eyes that looked so much like his father's, oblivious to the turmoil going on around him. Could Loki look at this little boy every day?

The more he stared though, the more his eyes drank in of the child. His blonde hair and blue eyes had been the first thing he'd seen and after that, he had stopped looking, but the more he looked now, the more he noticed. His blue eyes were bluer than Thor's, and after a second, he realized it was because of how pale his skin was compared to his father's.

Summer's skin, he realized with stilled breath. Then he started to see even more; Summer's high cheek bones, the light freckles smattered across their cheeks, that same sparkle in their eye that told him they knew more than they were giving away…

The air rushed out of his lungs as he forgot to breathe: Ewin was Summer's son. Not just Thor's.

And she was asking him to be a father to Ewin instead.

He would do absolutely anything for this woman. He felt it with every beat of his heart and with every passing second, he knew he would do the same for her son too. There would not be one without the other. He had to defend this child like it really was his son.

Only, he couldn't set the example yet, a small voice in his head reminded him. He still couldn't walk away from Thanos. If he did, he would just get them all killed, Summer and Ewin included.

Staring into the little boy's crystal blue eyes, Loki knew he couldn't be a father just yet. He had to go on with his plan.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

The slow pounding of Summer's feet on the floor was so monotonous it was almost putting her to sleep as she walked. The weight of Ewin within her arms and on her hip dragged her back though.

Her eyes were dull as they stared ahead; she hadn't slept well last night. Sure, Loki had started to accept that he couldn't just blur Ewin out of the picture, but the picture he held was still the same as before. He hadn't changed his plan. He was still hell-bent on destruction. Summer wasn't sure what else there was for her to do.

She would keep going back though, with Ewin. She thought it would be good for Loki to see the boy again. He seemed to have an impact on him eventually. The weight of being responsible for a child weighed heavily on ones conscience when making choices.

That was the effect she was hoping Ewin would have on Loki. The stronger the bond, the stronger the impact.

She tried not to think of the way she would be cutting off Thor from his son's life, remembering that fatherly glow in his eyes whenever he looked at Ewin. Loki was more important to her. She had to put him first.

She wasn't sure what would happen; if Loki changed his mind; if he didn't; if Thor wanted to take Ewin, or both of them… she didn't know which future to prepare herself for. She could only take each day as it came, and pray some good would come out of it all eventually.

Her arms hugged Ewin a little closer to her at the thought, and she shook her head clear. She needed to be clear minded for when she saw Loki.

Glancing down, she caught her little boy's bright blue eye and forced a smile on her face. "It'll be okay, Ewin." She cooed softly, almost trying to convince herself too. "We'll be fine."

There was no force in Heaven or Hell that could separate her from her son, so at least she had one promise she could keep. She would never let anything happen to Ewin, and she would never leave him. He was her only son. She would not give him up for the world.

However this whole mess ended, she would ensure her son was kept safe and well, with either Thor or Loki.

She couldn't think like that though, she told herself, shaking her head again. Things would be fine, she lied to herself. She and Ewin would go and see Loki and today would be the day he changed his mind at last for the better. She had to believe that. If she didn't, how was Loki supposed to?

As she sighed and lifted her eyes though, her feet suddenly slowed her steps to a stop. Her brow suddenly furrowed of its own accord as a weighty ominous feeling settled over her out of nowhere.

Even as she turned her gaze to the clear blue skies outside, something still felt wrong. Her heart thudded hard in her chest and she clenched her arms around Ewin instinctively. Gaze scanning the perfect horizon, she couldn't even see a misplaced cloud. _What was going on,_ she wondered?

She couldn't see anything… except for the jet flying slowly beside the aircraft.

That shouldn't have been anything out of ordinary. There were always jets around, taking and sending information and supplies, and they all looked like that one outside. But instincts didn't lie, she had always trusted – and her instincts told her that jet shouldn't be there.

A second later, the explosion confirmed her paranoia.

XXX

The tension in the air was thick as all eyes were on Dr Banner, spear in his hand as his fierce gaze burned around the room. Thor watched on warily.

Chaos was unfolding more and more each second. The more he stood by and watched the scene before him, the more he started to think he had overestimated humans' ability. Perhaps they couldn't be trusted. They couldn't even work together for the good of their own world – what would they do to Loki, an alien to them?

For a moment, Thor just held his breath. He had been told of Dr Banner's _ability_ but he had no desire to see it first hand, especially on board a flying aircraft.

He breathed a sigh of relief though when the monitor beeped behind him and the scientist dumped the scepter back on the table with a surly look.

"Sorry, kids. You don't get to see my party trick after all."

Thor's eyes followed him with every step, even though the scepter was out of his hand. He didn't need anything to change. He could morph at will. They were not out of the woods yet, Thor thought, watching Dr Banner cross the room.

The buzzing screen was important though, important enough to turn all eyes to it. It could only be one thing: "You have located the Tesseract?" Thor asked.

If they could get the Tesseract, then Thor could end this madness on Earth. He could take Loki back Asgard, and with an arm twisting, perhaps he could convince the Alfather to exile Loki to Earth instead of imprison him. Then he could be free to be with Summer. What of Ewin, Thor was yet to decide, but he knew if Loki was to have a future out of a prison cell, it had to be beside Summer's good will to guide him.

As soon as he had said 'Tesseract' though, the mortal's began their squabbling. "The Tesseract belongs on Asgard." He said over them firmly. "No human is a match for it."

He was not going to lose this one chance to save his brother. If the Tesseract was lost to him, so was Loki.

"You're not going alone." Captain Rogers caught Tony Stark's arm as he turned to leave.

Stark brushed it off. "You gonna stop me?"

Thor ignored it. Petty fighting would slow them down from getting the Tesseract and that was exactly what he needed. All he needed was the location of the Cube.

Turning to Dr Banner, he was just in time to see the alarmed look cross the scientist's face before he whipped his glasses off his face.

"Oh my God…"

Those last three words of doctor's were the last words Thor heard before an explosion ripped them all apart.

All of a sudden, everything was a blur. Colours flashed before his eyes; all manner of sound burst in his ears; pain hit his body as he was thrown through the air uncontrollably… then in a second he crashed through a wall, rolling to a stop amongst smatters of twisted metal.

His eyes stared up at the torn ceiling, dazed. His ears rang with the suddenness of the blast and he blinked blankly, staring up at the hole in the ceiling like he had never seen anything like it.

He hadn't, he soon realized, not recognizing the room above him. He'd been thrown to another part of the ship.

Groaning, he dragged himself to his feet, carefully rolling his ankles and wrists. Everything felt fine, if a little sore from his flight. But nothing broken, nothing truly hurt.

Slowly, his mind started to catch up with his body, eyes drinking in the men running around him. Where were they going? What had happened?

One thought silenced his questions though: _Loki._

This was no coincidence.

He was running before he knew it, letting his legs carry him to where he needed to be. Loki was either behind this or the target. He needed either helping or stopping – Thor was the only one that had a chance either way.

Carving a path through the running mortals, Thor overtook them easily, driving himself towards Loki's cell. As he ran, he moved further away from the damage, moving from snarling, twisted metal that had once been walls to nothing more than a few shattered windows. Soon, even those were gone.

Even the humans disappeared soon too, and he was left running alone through the dormitory corridors towards Loki's cell. Everybody must be converging on the damage, he reasoned. That or the control hub.

 _Not everyone,_ he soon realised as he turned a corner: Summer was crouched low against the wall, arms around their screaming son.

The moment he met her wide, frightened gaze, he was running to them in a heartbeat. The closer he got, the more he drank in of the pair. A line of blood ran down Summer's face from her hairline and one of her shoulders was limp, while the other jostled relentlessly as she tried to hold onto her squirming child. She must have been hit against the wall when the blast hit, Thor guessed. Luckily, she had taken the worst of it. Ewin looked fine, albeit shaken.

He dropped to his knees as he got to them, eyes scouring over them for any more damage he hadn't yet seen.

"Loki…" spilled from Summer's lips in a second, her round eyes glittering with unshed tears.

Her arm tightened around Ewin, pulling the infant closer. Thor ignored her, his hand touching protectively on his son. She didn't brush him off though. Drinking in her terrified gaze, he wasn't surprised though, noting the quick breaths that rasped through her lungs.

"The ship is under attack." He barked urgently, hooking a hand around her upper arm and helping her quickly to her feet. A flash of pain ran through Summer's eyes, but she didn't say anything, not taking her eyes away from the thunder god's burning gaze. "You go back to your room, bolt the door, and wait for me there. I will come for you when the ship is secure."

Through her tears, Summer gulped hard. "Loki-"

"I will see to Loki."

His eyes fell down to his little boy in Summer's arms. As far as Thor could see, he was unharmed. If anything happened to his child, these attackers would be lucky to leave the ship alive, the god promised darkly in his head.

Still, the fight had only just begun. He had to fight to keep Ewin safe. Gently, his hand cupped his little boy's face.

Ewin was oblivious to the tenderness in the god's gaze. He was disturbed and his ears hurt, screaming noisily to his hearts content, snot running down his face. Thor committed it all to memory anyway, letting it stir his heart with protective instinct.

It broke his soul that he had to leave, but there was no better way for him to protect his son than from the front line. Even though it felt wrong to be so far from what he needed to protect, Thor knew there was no other way.

"Farewell." He said to his son, watching the words wash over the boy obliviously. He didn't care though, fawning low and pressing a kiss to Ewin's forehead.

When he straightened up, his gaze bore into Summer's. "Go!" he urged, stepping away.

XXX

As soon as Thor stepped away, Summer stumbled back into the wall, gasping as she knocked her aching shoulder. Her head swayed dizzyingly.

Then before she knew it, she was alone.

They were under attack, Thor had said. They were under attack in a flying aircraft with no means of escape and she was alone, unarmed, with a baby in her care… she was all but defenseless.

And wounded, the brutal ringing in her ears reminded her, feeling the blood start to dry on the side of her face. Her knees felt weak, like they were about to give out from beneath her all over again and the hands clutching her baby to her chest trembled. Blood pounded in her ears so loud she couldn't even hear her own disorientated groan even though she felt it leave her.

What was she going to do? Thor had said run, back to her room. What then? The door didn't even have a lock. What would a mere door do against men with explosives and guns?

At least, she hoped it was men. If it was not, it was Loki's army of aliens. And they would show her no mercy.

The breaths rasped thick and fast from her chest and she fought to control the tears building in her eyes. She couldn't move, frozen against the wall as fear paralyzed her. She could almost feel death closing in on them…

Then a tiny voice whispered to her in her head, cutting through the ringing: _run!_

Her shaky hand braced against the wall and she gasped with pain from her shoulder as she pushed herself upright. Thor was right: they had to go. Blinking, the world slowly started to come into focus and she rolled her head around the corridor, gathering her bearings.

It was all lost though as the ship suddenly pitched sideways though, and she was thrown to the ground again.

This time, it was backed up with the distant sound of gunfire.

 _Run!_

No sooner had she lifted her head to take a breath, than she had thrown herself forward, her feet running on instinct. All the could think of was to get away, holding Ewin to her as tightly as she dared, his cries piercing through her mind. If anything, they drove her on. She felt like she was running for her life.

In seconds, she was lost. The walls looked the same, the windows were the same, the doors were identical – and she was moving too fast to really take note of any path she might have remembered. She ran so quickly she started to feel dizzy again, but she didn't dare slow down.

Adrenalin drove her on long after her mind stopped working, her body not far behind. The air tore harshly through her lungs, her arms ached from holding Ewin, and her head felt light and spinning. The corridor started to sway again.

She couldn't stop though. The gunfire still sounded too close for her to feel safe. Would there be any safe place on this ship? Her room certainly wasn't.

Unless that was part of Thor's plan. Perhaps, despite his tenderness towards Ewin, he was planning to use this attack to solve his own dirty conscience. If she and Ewin were gone, there was no proof of what wrong he did on Asgard. Maybe, he was luring her into a trap.

Her steps slowed for a moment at the thought, but as soon as her body let up, it just began to unravel. She felt her legs lose control, knees buckling with every step.

She knew it was a matter of time before she fell. It was inevitable. Her body couldn't hold this level of adrenalin and her mind was quickly shutting down alongside it. Every breath had her eyes growing wearier and wearier, fighting to close and surrender to her mild concussion. How much further could she go?

Turning a corner, she slowly blinked, cracking the line of dried blood by her eyes. All she did was blink. Blink for one second…

And then Loki was right there in front of her.

She gasped half a heartbeat before she crashed into him, her arm instinctively curling over Ewin's head. Twisting her body a second before impact, her hurt shoulder smashed into Loki's solid armour and she cried out in pain. Her teeth snagged down on her lip to stop any further noise though, even when Loki's hands found her upper arms, stopping her from bouncing back.

Her brain rattled inside her skull as she came to a sudden stop, knees collapsing beneath her while she slumped against Loki.

He felt real, Summer thought, gasping for breath against his breastplate, but she almost couldn't believe that he was. He was locked away. He was in a cell. Thor had gone to check on him… only now he was here. Where was Thor? What had happened?

She didn't dare ask now, but she was fairly certain that the men attacking the ship were Loki's men. He wouldn't be roaming so freely – alone! – if there were even more people on the ship trying to capture him. At least if he was with her they would know not to harm her. With Loki, she was safe – or at least as safe as she could be on this ship right now.

"It's alright," his soft voice murmured, thumb stroking gentle circles into her good shoulder. It wasn't as comforting as Summer might have hoped. "I'm here."

She was just starting to catch her breath back when she peeled her eyes open… and her heart stopped. A cry tore from her lips as she saw red, smeared over Loki's breastplate and matted in Ewin's hair. She could feel it wet on her fingers and on her cheek, still warm...

Her hands scrambled to push herself away from the bloodied god and she felt sick, feeling her fingers tremble around her son. Loki's hands tightened around her though, holding her from leaving.

Wide eyes glimpsed up at him through her panic, and she saw a combination of her best dream and her worst nightmare. He was here – really here, not even a sheet of glass between them anymore! Only the blood on his armour betrayed what he had done to get there.

Knowing she could never break free of a god's grip, Summer steeled her panic, forcing her breaths to steady themselves. _It was only ketchup_ , she told herself calmly, lifting her eyes from Loki's chest. Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to meet his gaze at last, watching him connect the dots behind his eyes. A heavy sigh left him as his hands softened against her. "Summer, I-"

"Loki, what the hell is going on?" her voice trembled.

The emotion was barely held at bay, tears already starting to well in her eyes. It took all she had to keep her lip from quivering.

But one look at the blood and it was all undone; the back of her hand pressed against her mouth, fighting to keep the bile down as the smell of blood was impossible to ignore. This time, Loki didn't resist her as she stepped back.

His gaze followed her though, gentle, but still simmering with urgency. "We must go." He said quietly.

Summer could see the pain in his eyes as he said it, watching her despair. He was no fool; he knew exactly what was wrong. They both knew exactly what Loki had done to get his freedom and the evidence was smeared all over his breastplate. Summer's only consolation was that he seemed to be just as upset about it as she was.

But was that enough?, she asked herself as the breath hitched in her throat and Loki blurred before her. Surrendering to her sobs, she tore her gaze away and bowed her head.

For a moment, Loki paused, but when he took a cautious step forward, Summer didn't fight it. As awful as everything was, she wasn't ready to walk away from Loki. She couldn't. Not yet. She couldn't accept that Loki was beyond salvation, that _her_ Loki was really gone. A part of her was starting to prepare for that eventuality though.

Clutching her baby close, she let Loki gently touch her arm and with the briefest of chills, she knew he had taken them away from the corridor. She remembered the sensation from where he had teleported them around Asgard all those years ago. He was right; they must go, while they could.

Suddenly, wind whipped her hair around her face and she peeked her eyes open as the sharp breeze caught the air in her lungs. Ewin screamed louder in her arms.

The corridor was long gone, and instead she found herself inside the belly of the jet she had seen fly past the ship earlier, the one that had started all this chaos. As Loki strode up the lowered ramp, it closed behind him. The air stilled. Summer's knees gave out as the whole structure growled and trembled, and she fell back into one of the seats that lined the walls. The familiar feeling of lightness told her they were taking off.

Feeling the colour drained from her face, she watched Loki slump down opposite her, eyes dark and brooding. He wouldn't meet her gaze. "Where are we going?"

Summer could barely hear herself over Ewin's cries, but she knew that Loki heard her. Despite that, he didn't move. He didn't say anything.

She was being kidnapped by Loki essentially. They were being taken away from the organisation that had offered her protection and safety, from Thor, to somewhere completely unknown and that almost certainly wouldn't be safe. Loki had his freedom now. What would come next in his plan? The battle? The Tesseract? The aliens? Whatever it was, it would be bad.

What else was he going to do? Back in the cell, Summer had started to see the man she loved peeking through again, even if he had refused to give up his plans. He was still there in his gentle eyes and soft spoken words to her.

But now, blood smeared literally on his hands and a steely gaze, that man was nowhere to be found in Summer's eyes. Wherever they were going, by the end of it, she would know if her Loki was gone for good.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Summer stared at her reflection with dull eyes, fingers numbly playing with her damp hair. Even with the blood washed away from her pale cheeks she still felt dirty. Wearing another woman's white blouse, she felt like she was lying to herself, pretending to be someone else.

She wished she could be. Right now, she wished she could be anybody else. The woman who owned the shirt she wore was thinner than Summer, the buttons only just doing up around Summer's chest, but Summer could bet she was rich. This shirt probably cost more than all her possessions put together. But in all the pictures Summer had seen of this woman – tall, slender, and with fiery orange hair – she looked happy, with sparkling eyes and a perfect smile.

Summer didn't remember the last time she had _really_ smiled. Genuinely. When had she looked as happy as that woman? From the certificates on the walls, she guessed that lady was called Pepper Potts.

If only she could be Pepper Potts for a day.

Ewin's whimpering in the next room reminded her that could never be the case though.

Sighing, Summer fluttered her eyes shut. The real world was knocking on the door before the sun had even risen in New York.

She couldn't believe that she was in Stark Tower, and that beyond that was New York. Between Loki and the Helicarrier, she must have travelled half the world by now. Her body was certainly feeling the jet lag; she could see it etched on her face in the bags under her eyes. She wished she could go to sleep and pretend this had all been some horrible nightmare.

She had never thought her life back in England was Ewin was easy, but she had never imagined seeing Loki again would be even worse. A sad part of her ever regretted trying to find him again.

Her heart sank even more at the thought and the drab woman in the bathroom mirror seemed to shrink away before her. She fluttered her eyes shut.

"Summer?"

Reluctantly, she peeled them open again. It took everything in her to contain her groan.

She couldn't hide forever. Forcing her body to move, she dragged herself away from the mirror and trudged out into the extravagant lounge area where Loki was, watching the city through the vast glass window. He turned when she came in, a broad smile beaming on his face.

Shaking her head lightly, Summer just trudged on past him to Ewin who sat howling on one of the soft armchairs. Her face stayed stony.

With her back turned to him, she could feel Loki's expression fall while she crouched beside the armchair and pulled her son close, fingers stroking through his hair soothingly. It was still damp from his own wash, but for him the blood still stained his shirt collar, a bitter reminder of why they were here and not back safely on the ship.

"I am only doing this for you." Loki finally said quietly, when Ewin had settled. "If there were but another way, I-"

"Don't you dare." Summer spat bitterly, rising instantly to her feet to glare at the apologetic god. She wasn't interested anymore. His intentions were clear now. "Don't say that."

If he really wanted to stop this violence then he could have done so by now. Even now they were free, they could go anywhere – but instead he stayed, to fight his fight and spill more blood. What did that say to Summer? It didn't seem like he was being forced to do anything.

Her fiery gaze held his and watched his gleaming eyes harden in response. "You think I enjoy this slaying?" he hissed, voice only just not trembling with the rage that burned in his eyes. "It is hardly even murder. Some might even call it nothing more than pest control back home, but I am still not without feeling regardless." The words spilled from his lips in a furious rush, and he tore himself away from her to stop more from getting out of his control. Without her accusing gaze right in his face, his temper was already less aggravated, though it still simmered unmistakably. "I want this to end as much as you do."

For a moment, there was silence, Loki's words just hanging between them. Then finally, Summer broke it.

"Prove it."

She didn't wait for an answer. Instead she turned back to her son and gathered him up in her arms, leaving Loki to ponder her words. She walked away quietly, back to the bedrooms.

Loki wasn't pondering for long though. She heard his soft footsteps follow her but she didn't pay him any heed, trying to find a safe place for her to leave her child in the scientist's bedroom. There was no such place though. Everything she saw was a threat, was sharp or blunt…she set Ewin down on the plush rug beside the bed, and just hoped he wouldn't knock into anything dangerous. She had a bad feeling that she wouldn't be able to focus solely on Ewin while she and Loki worked their issues out.

Stepping away from her son, she could feel Loki behind her. It was another few minutes before he said anything though: "What?"

Summer just breathed a heavy sigh. He really had to ask? She turned back to him with her eyes gleaming with sadness, imploring him desperately. "Stop hurt people." She begged simply. "Please just…just stop."

Now it was Loki's turn to sigh, his head falling. "Summer, I cannot simply stop."

He wanted to go on. He could tell her now there was no danger of the plan being overheard by the Avengers. He could tell her everything, though he doubted she really wanted to hear it.

When a new sound hit his ears though, he held his tongue. It was too quiet for Summer to hear, but his ears were better than hers and he could hear it: the quiet roar of small thrusters. The iron one was outside. In his head, Loki connected the dots – the rest of the Avengers couldn't be far behind.

His hand touched Summer's shoulder. "Stay here."

He could feel her eyes follow him as he abruptly turned and walked away, but mercifully she did as he said. He hoped the child would stay quiet too.

Striding out onto the balcony, he found Stark instantly, hovering above him and searching for a way to stop the Tesseract no doubt. How soon would he figure out that he couldn't?

 _Quickly_ , Loki realised, as Stark dropped down onto a landing platform and made his way inside. Loki did the same.

"Please tell me you're going to appeal to my humanity." The god goaded leisurely, watching Stark make himself at home. Well, it was his home…

"Er, actually I'm planning to threaten you."

 _Good luck with that_ , Loki thought to himself. Stark was just a man, while Loki was a god, with all the strength and power that came with that heritage. They had already tried to best him once before. If Loki had wanted, he could have killed them all in minutes.

The thought made him falter slightly while Stark rambled smoothly on. It didn't matter what he said though. It was all useless. "Stalling me won't change anything." slipped from his lips, almost sadly.

He had thought about it. Even now, right before Hel unfolded, he was looking for a way out. But if he did, Thanos would know. He would find him, and kill him, and anybody that stood by Loki. Summer wouldn't stand a chance…just thinking about it made the rage bubble up inside him. He didn't like to have somebody else control his destiny. Odin had done it his whole life. He had thought this was different, that he was in charge, but who was he kidding? Now, he was trapped. They were all trapped.

He tore his gaze away from Stark and looked out onto the city he was about to destroy. "The Chitauri are coming." Soon. Very soon. "Nothing will change that."

Even he couldn't stop an entire army by himself. Perhaps Thor would help – Loki spun around at the thought, lips hovering apart. He caught himself just in time though, quashing the idea; Thor may help him, but he would never let him walk away. And if he couldn't walk away, then what was the point? "What have I to fear?"

Loki kept his façade up flawlessly as he leisurely wondered back towards Stark, quickly glancing back towards the bedroom while the genius poured his drink. No Summer. _Good_ , Loki breathed an internal sigh of relief that she had actually stayed put.

When Stark started to raise his voice though, striding closer, Loki gave him his full attention.

"There is no throne." Stark proclaimed loudly. Loud enough for Summer to overhear, no doubt, Loki thought bitterly. "There is no version of this where you come out of top."

So far, it was looking like Stark was right. His choice seemed to be to side with Thanos and be a monster for Summer's sake, or side with the Avengers and never be free to be with her. It was a lose-lose situation as far as Loki could see.

"Maybe your army comes and maybe it's too much for us, but it's all on you." Stark went on. "Because if we can't protect the Earth, you can be damn well sure we'll avenge it."

That caught Loki's attention sharply. So even if he won, they would hunt him and Summer down for vengeance? Loki hadn't thought the mortals had that kind of drive, but he didn't question the dark threat in Stark's eye. Certainly not with Summer at stake.

He needed to get rid of the Avengers. "How will your friends have time for me," an idea suddenly stuck him, creeping forward threateningly, "When they're so busy fighting you?"

It was perfect, he thought. Let the war commence, turn Stark against the Avengers to defeat themselves, and Earth would fall without him lifting a finger. He could stay by Summer's side the whole time. It was beyond perfect, he thought, lifting the staff to take control of Stark – it was the stuff of dreams!

Until the spear didn't work.

Loki's heart plummeted in a heartbeat as the spear touched Stark's chest and all that happened was the light ringing sound of metal tapping metal. He tried again - nothing. "This usually works…"

The plan crumbled in his mind instantly. He needed this to keep the Avengers off his back. If not, as Stark had said, they would never stop hunting him. He didn't even know how Stark was stopping him – he was just a mortal man!

"Performance issues…" Stark mumbled awkwardly. "Not uncommon. One out of five-"

Now he mocked Loki?!

The god's short temper quickly snapped and Loki grabbed him by the throat, ending his taunts. He tossed the mortal across the room effortlessly.

Striding up slowly behind the mortal with gritted teeth, Loki decided to settle for killing him. If Stark wouldn't help him, then he wouldn't contribute to fighting against him. After his mockery, his death might just prove to be more satisfying than his aid anyway.

He had barely picked himself up from the floor before Loki was there again, once more at his throat. "You will all fall before me." Loki promised darkly, voice trembling with rage.

This time when he tossed the mortal aside, he crashed through the window. _One down_ , Loki marked off in his head with mild satisfaction.

It was instantly wiped away though when he turned around and saw Summer's tear stained face. His heart stopped. Had she heard the whole thing? What had she seen? More importantly, had Stark seen her? The god's mind raced, but his heart just ached painfully in his chest looking at the tears rolling freely down her face.

What could he say? He knew he had just shattered her heart all over again. "Summer, I-"

"If you kill one more person," she whispered sharply, her tear filled eyes glittering like wet steel, "Then I will be gone. And you will never see me again."

"Summer…"

Hearing those words felt like someone had just given him a sucker punch right in the gut, knocking the air out of his lungs. But he couldn't move. Couldn't react. He just stood there, taking it in. One more kill and it would all be for nothing.

It was easier said than done though, especially now. They were in the middle of a war! How was he supposed to not hurt anybody while fighting in a war?!

He didn't get the chance to think any more about it though. Summer's eyes lifted and widened, and when Loki blinked, she was gone, retreating back into the house. With an inward groan, Loki turned around, already knowing what he was about to see from the quiet roaring of thrusters again.

"And there's one other person you pissed off." Iron Man said boldly, hovering outside the window. "His name's Phil."

Loki's staff rose in a heartbeat in his hand, but his body stopped him. He couldn't hurt the man again. Summer would see.

Then she would go.

That one second of pausing cost him the blow and Stark's blast crashed into him, knocking him back with a shout of pain. But not before he had already sent a thought buzzing through to Selvig: _Open the portal._

He didn't doubt his hold over Selvig for a moment, and could quickly hear the whirring and mystic groaning of the Tesseract at work, even as he crashed back through Stark's home. By the time he finally stopped moving, grinding to an aching halt, he heard Stark's thrusters carry the mortal away. That would keep them busy, for now at least.

In the meantime, what was he going to do? Stay and fight? That would lose him Summer. He was not about to risk everything he had done just to lose her at the final hurdle. But what else could he do? He couldn't surrender and he couldn't fight.

Staggering to his feet, he connected with Selvig again. _No more,_ he ordered. _Do not open the portal any further._

He needed some time to think. With the army coming through, it would look like he was helping, when in reality all he wanted to do was end this madness and flee.

"Loki!"

Summer's shout instantly had him running, and he tore through to the bedroom like his life depended on it.

He found her at the window, peering up at the sky through the curtains. When his huff of laboured breath from the doorway caught her ear, she turned around, eyes wide and fear stricken. "What have you done?" she breathed in barely a whisper.

Loki's heart ached in his chest as he met her frightened eye, feeling his own glisten. "I've doomed us." slipped from his lips.

They were trapped. There was nothing he could do. Whether the Chitauri won or lost, he would lose. But if he cut and ran, he would be hunted by Thanos…

Given the options though, he didn't have much choice. His mind worked furiously while he stood frozen in place, trying to think of some way out of this mess he had created. The portal would keep the avengers out of his hair for now, but sooner or later, they would come for him. Summer couldn't be there when they did.

He blinked himself back to reality. "Stay with Ewin." He said firmly. "Be ready to leave. We won't have much time."

They would flee, he decided. Or they would try, at least.

How could he stop the Avengers coming for him, Loki wondered as he turned and left the room. Or Thanos for that matter? Thanos wouldn't stop unless Loki was dead.

He strode through the broken living room and picked up his spear with that thought rolling through his mind. _Dead_... could he make it seem like he had perished? If Thanos and the Avengers believed him dead, then nobody would hunt him or Summer. They would be free…

He needed a clone, he decided, changing course and marching up the ramp from which Stark had entered. As he stepped out onto the platform, into the open, his eyes scoured the city around him. The aliens rained down from the portal, alighting fire and destruction in their wake on the city ground. Where was it the most destructive? Where were the Avengers? If could place a clone in the danger zone, engage it with an Avenger and let them slay it, he could cover his exit with Summer.

A small smile spread on his lips at the thought. Maybe he could get away with this after all. Perhaps he could do a dramatic death – take out as many Chitauri as he could so the Avengers could claim victory more easily. If he was to slink away, he would not want to rebuild a quiet life under the rule of the Chitauri. Better to hide under the mortal's ignorance.

A heavy thud to his left distracted him though: "Loki!" Thor's voice yelled. "Turn off the Tesseract or I'll destroy it."

Loki's head turned sharply to catch Thor point Mjolnir threatening at the tower, but he knew that even the mighty hammer couldn't challenge the Tesseract.

"You can't!" Loki called back, cursing Thor for coming to stop him so early. He just needed a little time to distract everyone… "There is no stopping it. There is only the war."

He aimed the sceptre down at Thor on the bridge; Loki had no choice but to fight him. Thor was too close to where Summer hid. If he found out where Loki was hiding his son, he would not let him just walk away. He would take Ewin, and Summer too most likely. Loki needed to draw Thor away, command his attention.

He would have to fight him. No clone could slip in here. He gazed down at the thunder god challengingly, taunting him.

Finally – "So be it." Thor accepted, tightening his fist around Mjolnir.

Loki leapt down from the platform with a cry and swung the spear wildly. He needed a noisy fight, a build up for his later demise.

But at the same time, Summer's threat lingered in his mind, and he let Thor bend the sceptre away from him as it released a blast of energy. Instead of the thunder god, it shot away a part of the building.

" _If you kill one more person, then I will be gone. And you will never see me again."_

The words rung boldly through Loki's mind as he wrestled with Thor, straightening up for a moment to shoot one of the engines of the craft hovering by the Tower. Just the engine - not the cock pit. His eye followed the failing craft as it slowly slunk from the sky, the agents guiding it into a controlled crash. The mortals could steer that, he thought. If they couldn't survive that, then they didn't deserve to be called pilots.

Loki didn't get to see the final landing though as Thor suddenly launched at him, pounding at him with his fists. Wrestling him back with the staff, Loki only just held his brother at bay.

"Look at this!" Thor suddenly burst, the pair locked in a hold with Mjolnir braced against Loki's sceptre. His head nodded to the city under siege around them. "Look around you! You think this madness will end with your rule?"

 _No_ , Loki answered in his head. But it didn't change anything. "It's too late." He gasped. He wished his voice didn't have to sound so defeated, but it did. "It's too late to stop it."

His arms relaxed slightly, and he felt Thor do the same, watching the thunder god's eyes soften. "No." Thor breathed gently, his voice as smooth as melted butter. "We can, together." With the way Thor's eyes gleamed imploringly, Loki wanted to believe him.

Only it was too late. That hadn't been a lie.

He hadn't planned anything, but before he knew it, Thor was gritting his teeth in pain with a dagger in his gut. Loki sucked in a gasp as Thor dropped his hammer and staggered back, a hand over his wound.

A small smile breathed over Loki's face, watching his brother drop down to his knees. "Sentimental…"

He couldn't blame Thor for trying, but he wasn't buying it. If he listened, then as soon as the war was over Thor would be dragging Loki back to Asgard in chains. With Ewin too perhaps. And Summer? Loki wasn't sure what would become of her. All he knew was that Thor couldn't be trusted.

And that he couldn't be brought down by a single knife: the god threw himself at Loki, and in seconds, Loki's back crashed through a sheet of glass lining Stark's balcony. _Good,_ he thought breathlessly as Thor suddenly lifted him up high. He needed to start appearing to lose. He needed to find the right moment…

He fought the urge to cry out as Thor slammed him down mercilessly. If he had been a mortal, that would have killed him.

The air was forced out of his lungs as he lay faced down on the platform, staring down at the city below. Beneath them, it was Hel – _perfect_ , Loki thought. This was the right moment. Loki rolled off the bridge without a second thought.

To the world, Loki fell, tumbling through the air until one of the Chitauri's gliders whizzed by and he clung to it for dear life. He just about held on as the wind whipped around him. With a glance up, he watched Thor gaze on bitterly, tugging the dagger from his gut and tossing it aside. It was barely a scratch for an Asgardian. He didn't stop to check on Thor's welfare though, riding off into the heart of the city.

Loki watched his clone ride off from the scaffolding under the bridge, waiting until the familiar metallic gush of wind confirmed that Thor had gone as well.

Even so, it wasn't until he saw his brother touch ground by his team mates that Loki pulled himself back up onto the Tower. Crawling back onto the glass littered platform, for a moment he just lay there catching his breath. His eyes stared up at the blistering portal in the sky, planning his next move.

It was only when he heard the tinkering of glass that he stirred, bolting upright and twisting around. Summer paused where she stood in the balcony doorway, her hands braced on the door frame.

Loki just sighed heavily, picking himself up wearily from the ground. "I told you to stay with Ewin…" he groaned.

Summer's eyes gleamed apologetically as he slowly strode closer and she stepped aside back into the apartment to let him move on ahead of her inside. His mind was racing at a million miles an hour. What was the next step? The war was in motion, the Avengers were distracted… he must be missing something.

"Get Ewin!" he barked over his shoulder, satisfied when he heard Summer's hurried footsteps. He needed a moment to think.

He made straight for the elevator and jabbed his finger on the button, bracing his fist against the wall while he waited. He wasn't waiting long. Summer scurried up behind him quickly, and half a second later, the elevator dinged open. Grasping Summer's upper arm, he pulled her inside.

"Loki, what's going on?" she gasped breathlessly, clutching her son close to her chest.

The elevator doors closed and Loki finally turned to meet Summer's eye, hand cupping her cheek gently. "Don't say a word." He breathed hurriedly. He wouldn't have time to explain, just to act. "Just stay with me and don't say a thing."

They had come too far for Summer to give them away at the wrong moment. Even with her following his instructions to the letter, it was risky. He just had to hope everyone was too distracted now to care.

When the elevator doors opened, Tony Stark and Pepper Potts leapt out and tore across the floor with a baby clutched tight in their arms. Stark sprinted out the splintered glass wall and staggering out onto the rubble ridden street, eyes scouring around him. As soon as they locked on the yellow cab trying to inch through the debris, driver beeping his horn urgently, he made a bee line for it.

"Hey!" he barked in Tony Stark's voice through the shattered passenger window. "Hey, we need a ride to the airport! You've got to get us outta here, man."

The cab didn't stop trying to fight brokenly through the rubble, but Loki clung on relentlessly, even as Summer caught up beside him. For a moment, he didn't think the driver had heard him. Then the curly haired, middle aged mortal cast them a frantic eye and Loki knew he had. His gaze was wild with fear, but as it flickered down to the baby in Summer's arms, it clashed with conflict.

Rolling his eyes away, the man knocked the back of his head against his head rest in frustration. "Just get in!" he waved wildly.

Loki didn't need to be told twice. Yanking the back door open, he pushed Summer and Ewin in ahead of him before throwing himself in behind them. As soon as the door slammed shut, the driver started testing the gas pedal some more.

Somewhere behind them, something exploded and all three of them ducked instinctively at the same time.

"Go!" Loki cried. "Just go!"

Flooring the gas pedal, the cab bounced over the lumps of concrete and sped away from the city centre.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

In the waiting room at the airport, Ewin bounced on Summer's knee with his little fist in his smiling mouth. She was pretty much the only one sat down, everybody else milling around the large TV screen across the room, watching the chaos unfold in their heart of their city. Summer kept her face straight, large sunglasses hiding her wide eyes.

She smiled down stiffly at the boy in her lap, trying to distract herself from the horrible noises coming from the TV screen…

A gentleman slid smoothly into the seat beside her. "They are still flying." He said quietly, leaning over to whisper in her ear. "But only just. If New York gets any worse then who knows what will happen."

Summer sucked in a deep breath through another woman's lips, fighting to keep her face as calm as possible. She couldn't panic. Not now. Not with everyone around and certainly not with Ewin in her lap. He had to think everything was okay.

She was amazed he was as calm as he was, while a strange lady bounced him on her knee. She only guessed that because he had seen her change from his mother that he knew who she was really. If he had started screaming she wouldn't know what she would have done. They couldn't draw attention to themselves if they were to get away.

Smoothly, Loki sneaked his hand through Summer's arm and closed his fingers tightly around hers. "We'll be fine," He breathed, sitting back in his chair.

They still had to wait for their gate to open before they could board the plane, and never had ten minutes felt so long. Every second she was just waiting for someone to come over and ask to see their passports, to find some irregularity. She didn't know the woman whose face she wore, or whose passports Loki had stolen to get them through security and the check in. Loki's magic had carried them thus far, fooling everyone around them.

Glancing at the man beside her, Summer didn't recognize him. With fair brown hair swept back from his long face, with thin stubble over his chin and amber eyes staring at her calmly, Summer didn't know him at all. But she knew that beneath that façade was her god. And he would look after her.

Finally, the call for their gate sounded and she wrapped an arm around Ewin instantly, rising to her feet. By some luck, the tickets they had stolen were boarding first.

Beside her, Loki rose more casually and closed his hand firmly around hers. With her heart in her mouth, she let him gently lead her away.

She kept her mouth shut and her hand cupped around the back of Ewin's head. Once they were in the air, everything would be fine. Once they were stepping foot in a new land, she would be able to start thinking about relaxing.

Until then, she would quietly panic.

She kept her eyes low as Loki handed over their boarding passes and they were politely waved onto the plane, letting Loki's hand guide her on. Summer was running on autopilot and was glad for Loki tugging her along. If it were not for him, she would probably just freeze in place and never move again.

The stewardess smiled at them as they stepped on the plane, showing Loki where he would find their seats, but Summer didn't hear her. When the smile was turned her way, her heart just skipped a beat in panic.

Loki's hand gently pulled her forward and she followed obediently, keeping her gaze low. Every time somebody glanced at her as she passed, she would just tighten her arm protectively around her son, clenching Loki's hand.

She wasn't sure how far Loki's illusion would cover. Would it hide the ragged breaths she took? Would it hide the slight tremble in her lip? At least she knew that her wide eyes were covered by her sunglasses.

Her hand pulled away from Loki's to wrap another arm securely around her son and he paused in the aisle, glancing back. Pressing her lips together as calmly as she could muster, Summer just gave him one firm nod, urging him on. Loki's eyes darkened a shade in response before he turned back around.

Forcing out a slow breath through her teeth, Summer slowly followed. It couldn't be long now, she reasoned, shuffling forward. The plane was only so long and there were only so many seats.

It felt like a lifetime, but finally, Loki stopped and glanced over his shoulder, waving Summer into the seats he stood beside ahead of himself. Eyes low still, Summer slipped past, shuffling across the row of seats to the far window seat.

As she sat down and the back of her head touched the headrest, she let out a sigh of relief. One step closer to leaving this nightmare behind, Summer thought.

She popped Ewin down in the seat beside her, between her and Loki, and reached across to find his seatbelt.

Leaned over, she paused when Loki moved a mobile phone between them, holding it up just over Ewin's head. "What is that?" Summer breathed, voice barely louder than a whisper. "Where did you get that?" Her fingers quickly whipped her sunglasses off her face to stare at Loki with wide, disbelieving eyes, flickering between the mobile phone and his serious face.

"Man in the gate lounge," Loki murmured, eyes subtly alert and glancing around him. All the while, his hands fumbled with the mobile phone, opening up the news app. In seconds, the Avengers filled the screen.

Clicking Ewin's seatbelt in place, Summer stared at Loki, head shaking lightly.

Loki didn't even glance at her, eyes glued to the phone screen. "You shouldn't ask questions you don't want to know the answer to," he muttered.

He had a point, Summer reluctantly conceded, turning her eyes back to the screen. He'd traded in the violence for trickery, and that was going to secure their escape. She couldn't have both if she wanted them to get their freedom back.

A lump stuck in her throat as she watched the comrades she had shared a ship with fight for their lives, battling with the aliens that swarmed the city.

She wondered where the filming was shooting from. The camera was a little shaky so she reasoned it must be some kind of journalist camcorder. Who would have time and safety to prop up a tripod in that war zone? It looked like whoever was behind the camera was in one of the high rise buildings a few floors up, filming through a shattered window with glass littered around them.

Summer watched, riveted as if she was in the thick of New York. The camera swept down the chaotic streets just as if her own gaze was glancing down and it made the breath catch in her throat.

It was when the camera glanced up though and she saw a thin line of smoke trailing through the sky that she started to feel sick.

"Oh my God…" she murmured, heart hammering in her chest.

Was that a missile? It looked it, even through the shaky camera lens. Summer's stomach twisted – the governments only way out was to bomb the whole city? If that landed, how many people would die? Would she, Ewin and Loki be among them? How far away would that be from them?

Her hand rose to cover her mouth in horror, her arm wrapping around her son, cradling him close.

The other passengers seemed oblivious as they piled into the plane, taking their seats, unaware of the threat closing in on the city. They didn't seem to know that they could all perish in the next few minutes.

A flash of red and gold glinted in the sky along the smoke trail, and seconds later the smoke lifted, angling towards the gaping hole in the sky. Summer held her breath as the missile rose higher and higher in the sky, muttering a prayed under her breath.

"Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to turn off your cell phone for take off."

Summer jumped at the air attendant looking at them from the aisle, but beside her, Loki didn't flinch. When she glanced back to the screen, the missile was no where to be found.

Where had it gone, she wondered in her head, breath of relief sighing from her lungs. It was away from the city, at least. Even better, it was on the other side of the portal, where all the aliens were. Would it wipe them out?

She didn't get a chance to find out: "Sir, I'm afraid I must insist you switch off your device," the attendant pressed more firmly.

This time, Loki glanced up with dark eyes. For a moment, Summer thought he would argue, but thankfully he just thumbed the device off and tucked it back in his pocket, gaze a little bitter.

The attendant smiled politely before she moved on. "Please fasten your seatbelts."

Loki sighed as he belted himself in and Summer fastened her seat belt with slightly shaky hands. As the buckle clicked in place though, familiar long, thin fingers laced through her own.

When she glanced up, she was looking into Loki's familiar emerald green eyes. The illusion was faded away from his face so Summer could see him at last, comforted by the gentle smile curving his thin lips. Just looking at it, she could feel her face mirroring his expression, breathing a sigh of relief.

Her fingers squeezed back firmly around his, knowing they would all be okay.

XXX

In the aftermath of the battle in New York, smoke swirled in the air and Thor's sharp blue eyes scoured the city from the balcony of Stark Tower. His hands were braced so tightly around the railing that his knuckles were white, the metal twisting under his grasp. From one hand, a bloodied blanket gently rode the breeze.

Behind him in the heart of Stark Tower, the Avengers reveled in their victory. Loki was still lodged in the floorboard from the Hulk's attack.

Thor paid them no heed though, as the S.H.I.E.L.D agents filed in to apprehend his brother. He kept his back to them, eyes scouring every alien body he saw on the ground for even the slightest amiss detail.

With every passing second, his brow furrowed ever deeper. Nothing moved. Everything looked as it should. Still, Thor couldn't feel at ease.

A heavy sigh forced through him; it wasn't his brother in Stark Tower.

Loki had said it himself in the Helicarrier regarding his doppelgangers: ' _Are you ever not going to fall for that?'_ It echoed in Thor's head tauntingly, but he let it, going over it over and over again. Finally, he was starting to notice the subtle differences. This time, he wasn't going to fall for it and as a result, he was convinced that the man that S.H.I.E.L.D was locking in iron behind him was not his brother.

But if the real Loki wasn't in Stark Tower being arrested, then where was he? That was the question Thor wanted answering.

And it was no coincidence to him that Summer was also missing.

He had no doubts; wherever Loki would be, that would be where he would find Summer. And with Summer, Ewin.

His son was lost in the world and only Loki knew where he was. The child that Loki hated. The thought tightened the gods grip tensely around his son's forgotten blanket, warping the metal of the rail beneath his fingers. He couldn't help it. He had lost his son.

Ewin's face flashed in his head. The boy was perfect to him, a perfect image of his father. It was unmistakable whose child he was. S.H.I.E.L.D could run a search across the whole planet to find the boy, and with him, Summer and Loki.

If Ewin was still wearing his own face. Thor doubted Loki would be wondering around with his true identity on display, and it was more than likely he had done the same trickery to protect Summer and Ewin. They could look like anyone by now with Loki's magic and Thor would never be able to tell the difference.

Even if he could, what then? He couldn't take the child back to Asgard. Odin would never allow it and Summer would never surrender her boy. He could not cause that girl any more pain than he already had.

As much as it pained him to know it, his son was out of his reach and always would be. It was a curse he had brought upon himself.

And turning Loki in was not going to change that. They would probably be halfway across Midgard by now…

"Hey." Maria Hill's voice interrupted his thoughts, hearing her light footsteps join him on the balcony. She stopped a few paces back from him. "We need to take you to be debriefed."

Right now, Thor didn't care one whit about being debriefed. He was fully aware of what had happened here, and he was convinced that it wasn't the real Loki behind them. Should he tell them? If he did, they would hunt for him. They had their surveillance all over the globe – S.H.I.E.L.D would find them eventually and take the real Loki into custody. Summer would despise him.

And would he really be happy? He would have his son, yes, but only because he would have betrayed his brother a second time and taken Ewin from his mother. Chances were, he would not even be able to publically call him his son when he returned to Asgard anyway…

His eyes fluttered shut in defeat. He had lost them all, and if he cared about any of them at all, he would let them stay lost.

Summer had kept quiet about his sins to S.H.I.E.L.D. It was time to return the favour.

Even though the god had accepted it though, it didn't mean it didn't hurt. "I must ask a favour," he murmured softly to the spy behind him, his son's face lingering in his head.

"What's that?"

He sucked in another breath, calming his racing heart; he knew what he had to do, if was ever going to be able to look Jane in the eye again. "I must speak to Jane before I leave for Asgard." Blinking his eyes open, he surveyed the city one last time. This wasn't something that could wait anymore: _confession._ "It's time she knew of my sins."

His fingers uncurled and the blanket soared away over New York City, carried by the evening breeze.


	15. Chapter 15

_**Four years later**_

Two young parents stood outside the Scottish primary school waiting for their son, their hands intertwined sweetly. The gold bands on their rings fingers glinted in the sunlight. The man's raven black hair was combed back from his face as he smiled at his wife, his spare hand moving to roam over her swollen six month pregnant stomach.

Her hand covered his.

"Not long to go now," he said, earning a beaming smile from his wife.

Her olive green eyes shone. "Then we'll have to start on the next one."

Both parents were lost to their grins, and so missed the little boy sprint out from the gate until he crashed into them, tugging impatiently at the hem of his mother's shirt.

"Mummy, mummy, look what I made! See – it's a Frost Giant, like from the stories you tell me! See, see, see!"

The father crouched down to his son's level, and gently rolled the unrecognisable lump of clay that was a 'Frost Giant' in his hands. He let out a bark of laughter and handed it up to his pregnant wife, fingers moving to ruffle his son's hair fondly the moment they were free.

He straightened up and picked up the little boy, resting him on his hips. "Well done, my son. You have your mother's artistic talent."

Sculpture in hand, the mother moved her spare hand to gently knead at her husband's shoulder as they turned away from the school. She smiled lovingly at the two most important men in her life. "Ewin, get down from there." She laughed. "You're too big to be carried."

"Nonsense," the husband dismissed, peeling her hand from his shoulder so they were once again linked with laced fingers, hanging between them. "You carry one of our children, and I shall carry the other. He's only five." His wife cocked her head to the side and the party drew to a gentle halt, the husband easing his wife closer.

His hand moved from hers to spread across her blushing cheek and he pressed a chaste kiss to her other. "It's fine, Summer," He breathed, his face levelling with hers again. "I love you."

Summer smiled back. "I love you too, Loki."


End file.
